Polri uncovers illegal cosmetics case containing mercury and hydroquinone

Jakarta (ANTARA) – The Directorate of Narcotics Crime (Dittipidnarkoba) within Bareskrim Polri has busted an illegal cosmetics case involving LC Beauty, which contains mercury and hydroquinone. Brig. Gen. Eko Hadi Santoso, Director of Narcotics Crime (Dirtipidnarkoba) of Bareskrim Polri, in Jakarta, on Wednesday, said that the case came to light following laboratory tests on LC Beauty day cream, night cream, and toner. The results showed the three products tested positive for the hazardous substances mercury and hydroquinone. From investigations on 26 February 2026, the team secured witnesses MI and BBT. According to their interrogation, they were resellers who obtained LC Beauty products from a person named RA. Witness RA admitted obtaining the cosmetics from the suspect identified by initials ML who is in Cirebon, West Java. “Upon arriving in Cirebon, the team conducted investigations at the location of the illegal cosmetics production, and found that the site was located in the Harjamukti area, Cirebon, West Java,” he said. Eko continued that on 27 February 2026, the team raided the location of the dangerous cosmetics production. From there, investigators found raw materials, finished products, bottle and pot packaging, production and mixing equipment, packaging labels, and packing supplies. “After a brief interrogation of the suspect ML, he admitted and confirmed that he produced and distributed LC Beauty cosmetics that did not have distribution approval from BPOM (Badan Pengawas Obat dan Makanan) and contained hazardous substances mercury and hydroquinone,” he said. To investigators, ML claimed that he had produced the illegal cosmetics from 2016 to 2019. However, production paused and resumed since 2022 to the present. “Mercury and hydroquinone used in the cosmetics were obtained through private purchases via one of ML’s workers, and the worker explained that the materials were obtained from a market located in Jakarta,” Eko disclosed. A number of seized items included boxes containing 360 bottles of LC Beauty toner already mixed with hydroquinone, boxes containing 984 pots of LC Beauty day cream already mixed with mercury, and boxes containing 1,008 pots of LC Beauty night cream already mixed with mercury. For this offense, ML is charged under Article 435 of Law Number 17 of 2023 on Health, in conjunction with Appendix I Article 181 of Law Number 1 of 2026 on Penalty Adjustment. “ML has not yet been detained due to considerations of pregnancy at two months and that ML is still in a post-operative condition,” Eko said. For the next steps, the Dittipidnarkoba team will carry out investigations and prosecutions for money laundering after the primary criminal act has been investigated.