KUALA TERENGGANU: The State Department of Health arrested a 25-year-old woman and her two assistants for offering illicit beauty injections in a homestay in Chukai, Kemaman on May 15.
The woman promoted her service online through her Instagram account, which has over 10,000 followers.
During the 10.30am raid, enforcement officers caught her as she was administering treatments to five customers with her assistants.
The officers from the pharmaceutical division seized 16 types of unregistered beauty injection products worth RM13,000, which were not registered with the Health Ministry.
Department director Dr Muhammad Omar said the raid was conducted following a tip-off from a customer.
“We found that she has been running her business through her Instagram account and was travelling all over the country to provide beauty injections to her customers without holding any valid licence to perform the procedure,” he told reporters.
It is learnt the suspects were from Perlis. Dr Muhammad said the woman only attended a beauty course from a college in her hometown.
“She has travelled to Kuala Lumpur, Johor and Pahang, before arriving in Terengganu to meet her customers.
“Initial investigations showed that she was offering Vitamin C facial injection, and other substances labelled as Pinky White, Advance, Extreme and Highway worth between RM200 and RM400 per injection.
“She also offered skin whitening and body slimming treatments,” he said.
Muhammad said the suspect made her own products, which contained dubious ingredients that could be harmful to her customers.
“Her business was so good that she managed to make about RM20,000 just by offering beauty injections at the homestay,” he added.
Muhammad said in other unrelated raids on June 13 and June 15, the division seized RM230,000 worth of unregistered beauty products from several premises in Kuala Terengganu, Kuala Nerus, Hulu Terengganu and Besut.
Among the products seized were Nour Ain Night Cream, Tati Skincare Treatment Cream, Glow, and Night Glowing, among others.
The items seized contained prohibited ingredients such as hydroquinone, tretinoin and mercury.
Muhammad added that offenders could be charged under the Sale of Drugs Act 1952, which carries a three-year jail term and a fine of up to RM25,000 upon conviction.
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