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NBI raids cosmetics firm for illegal operation

11/17/2007

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has raided and seized hot items from a salon cosmetic maker and its three salon trading outlets that have been allegedly operating illegally in simultaneous busts in Quezon City, Mandaluyong and Manila.

NBI agent Rodrigo Mapoy, chief of Criminal Investigation Division-Intelligence Services, identified the raided establishment as Cosmessentials Marketing Inc. at 2F Belmonte House Building, Luzon Avenue corner Unang Hakbang Street, Quezon City and its trading outlet, The Avenue Salon Net with its branches on Kalentong, Galas and Espana.

Mapoy identified the owners of Cosmessentials. Among them are Leah Resultay and Francilla Lee, who is also the proprietor of The Avenue Salon Net.

The raid came after several clients of Cosmessentials and The Avenue Salon sought the assistance of NBI on complaints that they are made to believe that their products are the same as that of a large salon chain, F Salon and Body Spa.

The NBI said after examining the merits of the complaints, they formed a team and conducted their own investigation. In the process, they gathered that Lee and Resultay are former employees of F Salon and allegedly a part of a group that attempted to obtain the formula of F Salon products.

Based on reports, Lee allegedly has ties with a handful of franchisees who allegedly instigated media-based smear campaign against F Salon and Body Spa.

In an interview with F Salon management, these disgruntled franchisees were actually disenfranchised for alleged gross violation of their contract and now facing legal cases filed by their franchisor. Lee is also facing charges of perjury, fraud, libel and damages.

Upon NBI’s presentation of their voluminous evidence, the Quezon City, Mandaluyong City and Manila courts granted them a search warrant immediately. On the same day, the NBI wasted no time and raided the establishments.

During the raid, operatives discovered that Cosmessentials had no licensed pharmacist and had no license to produce and trade cosmetic products and that it has been producing FSalon look-alike products for quite sometime.

The NBI also seized a large quantity of active chemicals used as raw materials for salon finished products like rebonding cream, neutralizer, protein-e treatment, straightening cream, stabilizer, hair wax, hairspa, hot oil treatments, natural cellophane, milk salt scrub and foot scrub, all mixed and stored in a room located in a busy residential area and allegedly were readily sold to the public.

Representatives from F Salon were invited by the NBI and they positively identified the products as crude copycats of their own. They received reports that these were being peddled to their franchisees. In an interview, F Salon claimed that unlike Cosmessentials, they had their own licensed pharmacist, they obtained their products from licensed toll manufacturers and they had a license to trade. Their salon products are for exclusive use of their trained professional salon staff operating in their 150 F Salon franchised outlets.

The management of F Salon & Body Spa assured the public that they are vigilantly monitoring cosmetic products being used in all their outlets. They are also thankful to discover bits and pieces of the story behind the smear campaign launched against them.

Mapoy, on the other hand, assured the public that they will stay on the case until the perpetrators are put to justice. He encouraged other salons to report immediately if they had been victims of Cosmessential’s alleged nefarious activities. Moreover, he warned other establishments that are engaged in illegal production and trade of salon cosmetic products that could pose danger to the public.