TFDA impounds, destroys banned imported cosmetics

TFDA's northern zone manager, Damas Matiko

 Tanzania Food and Drugs Authority (TFDA) on Wednesday impounded and destroyed banned imported cosmetics believed to be worth 34m/-.

The cosmetics were seized  recently at Namanga border, aboard a passenger bus traveling from Nairobi to Arusha.

 

Speaking to The Guardian while setting ablaze the banned imports, TFDA's northern zone manager, Damas Matiko said the cosmetics were impounded from a bus christened Perfect Trans upon reaching the Kenya-Tanzania border.

According to the zonal manager, border inspectors became suspicious of the bus with registration number T 841 AGX and upon screening it; they found a luggage containing the unauthorized cosmetics which were deemed unfit for human use.

 

“After they were questioned, occupants inside the bus were not ready to disclose the owner of the luggage and that they were still looking out for him,” he said.

 

The seized cosmetics included Caro Light cream, a common cream preferred by women believed to transform their skin colour, Neurotone and Carotone, all manufactured in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

 

According to Matiko, the yet to be established suspects contravened the Food, Drug and Cosmetics Act number one of 2003.

 

The direct use of such cosmetics could result to diseases such as Cervical and Blood Cancer, according to Matiko.

 

For his part, Customs Officer with Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) at the Kenya-Tanzania border Aminiel Malisa said his office was determined to intensify efforts of conducting a crackdown on the unauthorised cosmetics.

 

 According to Malisa, before the taxman levies tax on products, they normally checks on whether they are user friendly on human beings.