Counterfeit beauty products seized during enforcement activity in Bolton have been found to contain hazardous chemicals, according to testing results. The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) says samples included skincare items with very high mercury, as well as lead detected in make-up products, nicotine in a perfume, and methanol found in a counterfeit fragrance.

The coverage places the findings in the wider context of ongoing raids and growing use of counterfeit goods. Sky News highlights that such harmful products are becoming more common, while the other outlets focus on the specific substances and product types identified. One report also adds details about the value of the Bolton seizure, and a separate enforcement operation in Greater Manchester that led to additional counterfeit goods being confiscated.

Across outlets, the core facts—mercury, lead, methanol, and nicotine appearing in tested counterfeit cosmetics—are consistently presented, with differences mainly in emphasis and the amount of operational context provided.