Tax collector Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) has warned that various fake cosmetics have hit the market.

URA assistant commissioner for enforcement Agnes Nabwirwe Waiswa told journalists at URA headquarters in Nakawa-Kampala on Thursday there has been massive smuggling of the cosmetics in the past months.

 For example, Nabwire explained, a truck carrying 1,000 cartons of skin creams containing a bleaching chemical known as hydroquinone which causes skin cancer and hair falling fall was intercepted in Kanungu district and is currently being held at URA head offices.

According to Nabwire, the fake cosmetics include: carolight, litro light, skin light, pro light, princess tubes, mont Claire soap, coco pulp, top Claire, and miki clair.

“What is happening is, most of the manufacturers of these skin and hair products have changed the packaging, while showing the ingredients the cream or soap contains, they hide the hydroquinone chemical, but analysis and tests at UNBS done shows that all these products contain this chemical,” she said.

“The hydroquinone chemical causes skin cancer and hair fall off on the head and this explains why we have rampant cancers in the country, because many of Ugandan women are bleaching using these products.”