The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has seized 12 counterfeit bottles of Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser from a retailer in Pune's Shivajinagar after an inspection found them to be "spurious cosmetics", despite the products carrying an expiry date of December 2028.
The seizure was made on June 22, and a case was registered the same day, HT earlier reported.
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No problem in manufacturing date, yet ‘spurious’
According to the FDA, drug inspector Shrikant V Patil from the Pune division carried out a surprise inspection at Om Chemist, where he collected a sample of the 118 ml cleanser bearing batch number B5NA1110.
The product was labelled as having been manufactured in December 2025 with an expiry date of December 2028, the report added.
The cleanser is marketed in India by Galderma India Pvt Ltd and manufactured by Encube Ethicals Pvt Ltd.
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Difference from genuine product, ‘spurious cosmetics’
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Difference from genuine product, ‘spurious cosmetics’
{{/usCountry}}As part of the investigation, the samples were sent to the manufacturer's laboratory for examination.
While laboratory analysis found the contents to be within quality specifications, a detailed comparison of the packaging, labelling, printing and security features revealed significant differences from the genuine product.
Further verification by the manufacturer and the marketing company confirmed that the seized bottles had not been manufactured through their authorised production process.
Based on these findings, the FDA classified the products as "spurious cosmetics" under the provisions of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940.
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‘Serious risk to consumer’s health': FDA commissioner
FDA commissioner Tukaram Mundhe said, "Counterfeit medicines and cosmetic products are not merely a form of economic cheating but can also pose a serious risk to consumers’ health.
Strict legal action will be taken against those involved in the manufacture, distribution or sale of such counterfeit products."
A case has been registered under Sections 318(4), 336(3) and 340(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023. Further investigation is underway.
(Inputs by HT Correspondent).