January 21, 2016
Reading time • 5 min
Police seizes about R$400.000 of illegal cosmetics in Distrito Federal.
This Tuesday, the 19th, 8 thousand items sold in 11 stores in 6 different areas were seized. The imports did not have an authentication stamp from ANVISA (National Sanitary Surveillance Agency), nor translation in Portuguese. The local Police from Distrito Federal led the operation, the 8 thousand cosmetics were being sold illegally in a retail chain with 11 stores in 6 different areas. The goods are estimated in R$400 thousand reais.
A man went to jail accused of smuggling and embezzlement. He was arrested at the warehouse where the cosmetics were found, at 415 South. He is been identified as the person responsible for buying the products. According to the police, he had a criminal record and has been arrested before for manslaughter, fraud, threats, possession of stolen goods, resisting arrest, reckless driving, among others. He was even in house arrest.
After the arrest, the Police discovered that the suspect family members are involved. They went to get his mother and sister because they received the smuggled goods with help from other people. “How could these people not know about these crimes? ” says Monica Ferreira, Chief of Police from DCPIM.
Merchants would buy the goods without paying imports taxes and the products did not have the description required by Law. According to Monica, “the government failed to collect R$ 120 thousand in taxes because of smuggling. “ This is a form of corruption, in my opinion” states Monica, “this money could be invested in public services”.
The packaging did not have the stamp from ANVISA. The labels did not have the composition and did not offer recommendations for use. “People don´t know, but imported products need a stamp from ANVISA.”.“The simple lack of a label is already considered a crime” replies Monica.
This investigation started after an anonymous call from someone who suspected “the labels in English”, declares the DCPIM Chief of Police. The police now want to know where the products came from. They believe that they were produced in the USA and arrived in Brazil through Paraguay.
The retail chain has 2 stores in Águas Claras, 4 in Asa Sul, 2 in Asa Norte, one in the Southwest ,one at the Feira dos Importados from SIA and another in Lago Sul. They still have two more stores in Malls in Asa Norte and in Lago Sul. Police said that 3 products sold did not have a registration document.
The man arrested is 39 years old. He was still in jail this Wednesday. If he is convicted, he could face up 5 years in prison, for smuggling, and from 2 to 4 years, for embezzlement.
Photo: Alexandre Bastos
Read more: Globo.com
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