On Friday, September 20, the Polícia Rodoviária (Highway Police) intercepted a vehicle on the Raposo Tavares highway, at kilometer 540, during an operation known as 'Operação Impacto.' Inside the car, which was being driven by a 37-year-old woman accompanied by a 15-year-old girl, officers discovered eight packages of human hair, which were being transported without any accompanying fiscal documents. The raw hair was valued at more than R$ 356,000 and had been purchased in Dourados, MS, at R$ 1,500 per kilogram, with plans to resell it in beauty salons in São Paulo city.

The discovery raises significant questions regarding the legality and regulation of the human hair trade in Brazil, highlighting issues such as proper documentation and the potential exploitation involved. With the rapid growth of the beauty industry, raw materials like human hair can become lucrative, leading to increased efforts from authorities to monitor this market closely. The incident underscores the need for transparency and adherence to legal standards in the beauty supply chain, particularly as products like human hair become commodified and sought after by salons.

Furthermore, this incident may affect small businesses and salon owners who rely on legitimate sources for their supplies. If illegal trafficking continues unchecked, it could endanger the livelihoods of those in the market who operate legally, thus sparking discussions around the necessary precautions and regulations needed to ensure fair competition in the industry.