THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The drugs controller intelligence department made a sudden inspection into cities fancy stores and ended up busting cosmetic items. The list includes face creams and lipsticks that are inferior and expired ones mostly imported from Gulf. The total rate of the seized products surpassed Rs 4.19 lakhs.

Meanwhile one firm in Manakody, Thrissur was shut down after the raid found the firm making second-rate cosmetic products. “Operation Soundarya” will carry on in the coming days and till now the raid happened in 53 firms with a total of registered cases going to 17. Keralakaumudy earlier did a report on the burgeoning use of fake cosmetic products in the city. The retributive action was in the wake of the report says, Intelligence branch assistant drug controller, KV Sudheesh.

The seized products were produced before the magistrate. These cosmetics find their way from the gulf. The customs normally keep a blind eye towards such products since cosmetics were always fancied for people arriving from the gulf. These items first come to Tirur in Malappuram. From here, the cosmetics get carted to all other districts. The biggest raid was from Kasargod homecare marketing company( RS 74000), followed by Kannur (Rs 40000).

The drug controller in the state looks to give awareness classes to beauticians and fancy store owners to distance themselves from owning such inferior products.