House raids in QC yield P13m worth of illegal beauty products

QCPD director, Chief Supt. Guillermo Eleazar, and FDA representatives examine the beauty products seized in Tuesday’s raids. —JOAN BONDOC

Over P13 million worth of unregistered health and beauty products, including whitening soaps and injectable glutathione, have been seized by policemen and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) agents in Quezon City.

Authorities raided on Tuesday two houses based on search warrants issued by Judge Lyn Ebora-Cacha of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 82.

The subjects of the warrants were businesswomen Lilian Marte, 41 and Michelle Cablayan, 39.

Arrested in the house on Natividad Street in Barangay Paltok were Marte and delivery boys Daniel Domanico, 23 and Viel Anjon Somidos, 21.

On the other hand, the police failed to find Cablayan in the house on William Extension Street, Barangay Bahay Toro. Only her employees identified as Mylene de Vera, 38; Rommel de Vera, 39; Jeffrey Poserio, 27 and Mark Adrian Roces, 19 were placed under arrest.

According to Chief Supt. Guillermo Eleazar, Quezon City Police District chief, their special operations unit received a tip through social media on the rampant sale of the products which were not registered with the FDA.

Investigators said Cablayan used a Facebook account named “Mikhaela’s Beauty Essentials,” while Marte used an account under “Manila Beauty Supplier” for their transactions. Both also distributed the products through certain clinics.

A check with the Department of Trade Industry showed that the suspects’ businesses were operating illegally.

Over P6.5 million worth of beauty products were seized from each house, including boxes of glutathione products, soaps and lotions that were able to fill a six-wheeler truck, Eleazar said.

Both women face charges of violating Republic Act 9711, also known as the Food and Drug Administration Act of 2009.