Two Women Caught For Importing Fake Cosmetics Worth $800K To Sell Online

Because I’m a good boyfriend, I accompany my girl on her makeup shopping trips a lot.

But every time she shows me her favourite brand’s newest eye shadow palette or a lip tint recommended by Jeffree Starr, I always say the same thing.

“All looks the same leh.”

To which I get an eye roll from her as she secretly wishes that she was with another makeup enthusiast instead of me.

Okay, while there are some slight variations, I insisted that the makeup she was buying could be a counterfeit and she wouldn’t know it.

She’d either claim that she can tell the difference, or that no such thing exists in Singapore.

Well, now I’ve got the news to prove her wrong on at least one of those statements.

Raiders of the Lost NARS

In a raid by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), two women (aged 21 and 23) were arrested for importing and possession of counterfeit perfume and cosmetic products.

They were apparently planning on selling the products online (with false trademarks) to unsuspecting victims.

A bit Two Faced, eh?

The raids were conducted over a 19-hour operation including places such as Tampines North Drive and Sunview Road.

There were more than 16,000 cosmetic products seized which were worth more than $800,000.

IPR Infringement

No makeup pun here because it’s a serious issue.

In case you didn’t know what they did wrong other than potentially cheating innocent girls – it’s an intellectual property infringement.

Singapore Customs and the police said in a statement: “The authorities take a serious view on intellectual property right (IPR) infringements and will not hesitate to take action against perpetrators who show blatant disregard for Singapore’s IPR laws”.

If the two women are convicted of importing, possessing or distributing goods with falsely applied trademarks for the purpose of trade, they could be jailed up to five years, fined up to $100,000, or both.

Looks like they may spend quite a while Urban Decay-ing in prison, eh?

Sephora or Suffer ah…

As a PSA, whether you’re buying for yourself or your girlfriend, try to purchase cosmetic products from legitimate stores.

Avoid deals too good to be true and don’t anyhowly buy from shady sellers online.

Otherwise, you could be apologising to your girlfriend afterwards when her fake palette ruins her skin.

“Natasha, I really Denona… forgive me please…” (Get it? Denona? Didn’t know la?)

Okay, that’s a weak one. I’ll stop.