URA impounds Shs120m cosmetics from DR Congo
URA enforcement team impounded CaroLight and Diproson cosmetics, which experts say, cause cancer. Courtesy photo
What you need to know:
- Mr Joseph Lugolobi, the Uganda national Bureau of Standards, department of imports inspection said cosmetics containing Lead, Mercury and Hydroquinone were banned by government in 2013 and that anybody importing or selling them is breaking the law.
- Some of the banned cosmetics include Uniderm Soap, Rico Soap, Mekako Soap, Top Claire Plus Lotion, Beauty Lotion, Mekako Cream, Cocodum, Claire Cream, Fair & White Lightening Cream and Lady Claire Soap among others.
Kampala. Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) has impounded 622 cartons of cosmetics containing hydroquinone from DR Congo valued at Shs120m.
Mr Abbey Kagumire, URA’s acting Assistant Commissioner Enforcement, said the cosmetics were intercepted at Kagamba in Kanungu District at about midnight after a tip off, impounded and brought to URA headquarters in Kampala on February 4.
According Mr Kagumire, the suspected smugglers, who are now at Jinja Road Police station, imported the cosmetics from DR Congo and evaded taxes worth about Shs120m.
“The Fuso truck UAW 723N was carrying 521 cartons of 420 Caro Light and 101 Diproson cosmetics from DRCongo which contain Hydroquinone, a substances banned by Uganda National Bureau of Standards,” said Mr Kagumire.
While addressing the press yesterday at URA offices in Kampala, Mr Kagumire said when the cosmetics were impounded and brought at URA for inspection; they found out that they also contained a component of Hydroquinone and mercury which are dangerous substances that pose great risk to life
“As traders you can do smart business conveniently by paying your taxes. Now the owner of this consignment of more than 600 cartons of cosmetics will lose these goods because we are going to burn them, lose the truck and face a charge of outright smuggling under section 200 of the East African Community management Act,” Mr Kagumire said.
Mr Kagumire said for the last three months URA enforcement teams have seized 3038 cartons of various types of cosmetics with Hydroquinone valued at Shs311.4 million.
“This prompted consequent planned enforcement operations to which these culprits were arrested as smugglers,” Mr Kagumire said.
Mr Joseph Lugolobi, the Uganda national Bureau of Standards, department of imports inspection said cosmetics containing Lead, Mercury and Hydroquinone were banned by government in 2013 and that anybody importing or selling them is breaking the law.
He said besides dodging paying of taxes, the suspects were also dealing in importation and selling of cosmetics containing hydroquinone and mercury ingredients which were banned by UNBS in 2015.
He explained that Hydroquinone is a skin bleaching agent and that the cosmetic works by blocking the process in the skin that leads to discoloration but that it is also responsible for various cancers.
Banned cosmetics
List. Some of the banned cosmetics include Uniderm Soap, Rico Soap, Mekako Soap, Top Claire Plus Lotion, Beauty Lotion, Mekako Cream, Cocodum, Claire Cream, Fair & White Lightening Cream and Lady Claire Soap among others.
