By Kabahweza Kamugisha Allan
URA Officers recently intercepted 269 cartons of contraband cosmetics on Lake Albert. The illegal consignment that had found its way into the country had cosmetic products containing hydroquinone.
Customs Officer, Elvis Peter Kairanga said that the cartons of cosmetic products were captured on a boat, but unfortunately, all the people ran away when they sighted URA’s Tunalengo Moja boat.
He explained that the enforcement team and commanders at Nsonga, in Kikuube District had picked up ripe intel of an approaching boat. The team stealthily entered the waters and after hours of waiting, the said boat landed into the enforcement net and was escorted ashore where offence management began.
The verification exercise found cosmetic products namely: Princess Clair, Beauti On, Carol Light, Bio Plus Carot, Elegance, Million Chair, Clair Man and Rico Clair.
URA’s team has carried on several deterrent voyages on the deep waters of lake Albert to curb the importation of harmful products and goods into the country from neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Part A of the Second Schedule of East African Community Customs Management Act (EACCMA, 2004) Subsection 9 prohibits and restricts the importation of all soaps and cosmetic products containing mercury.
Early 2020, Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) released a list of over 100 skin products that were prohibited in the country. Those products mostly contained hydroquinone and mercury, which are carcinogens.
