Illegal cosmetics factory was uncovered after a company identified a counterfeit product online, police reported
The suspect used a mixer and a bowl to mix chemicals and acids. She was arrested in the act on Tuesday (the 1st) in Campinas (SP).
The Civil Police shut down an illegal cosmetics factory and arrested a woman in the act on Tuesday (the 1st) in the Jardim do Lago neighborhood of Campinas (SP). The investigation began after the manufacturer of one of the products being sold became suspicious of its online sales.
According to Police Chief Marcel Fehr, who is leading the investigation, the company that filed the complaint does not sell on e-commerce platforms.
To confirm the fraud, the manufacturer purchased one of the advertised items and sent it for analysis. Chemists confirmed that both the formula and the bottle were counterfeit.
After the analysis, the brand filed a police report and went to the 1st General Investigations Police Station (DIG). Using basic information about the seller’s profile provided by the company, the police employed intelligence tools to identify the suspect and track down the addresses linked to her.
In total, five locations were identified, including a beauty salon in São Paulo. With this information, the court issued search and seizure warrants.
Production took place inside the house
During the searches, the teams found the clandestine production line operating at the woman’s home in Campinas. The operation occupied several rooms in the house and was divided into stages:
Backyard: Cheap raw materials were mixed with acids and grain alcohol in a bowl using a household mixer;
Kitchen: essences were added to the liquid, which was then poured into bottles;
Living room: the bottles were labeled with various brand names and prepared for shipment via the postal service.
The woman had no technical training or operating license. She was arrested in the act for crimes against public health, counterfeiting cosmetics, and violations of consumer protection laws.
According to the police, the suspect had been arrested on previous occasions for the same type of crime, most recently in 2024.
The police believe the suspect had been operating in this manner for over a year. According to the police chief, she did not declare any other profession or source of lawful income.
Now, the police will analyze seized cell phones and computers to identify customers and possible accomplices. E-commerce platforms were notified and blocked the suspect’s sales prior to the operation.
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