The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office announced that two people were indicted on Wednesday for allegedly operating a cosmetics business in Manhattan that also served as a fencing operation and had over $1 million worth of stolen items in storage.
DA Alvin Bragg said in a news statement on Wednesday that Rehana’s Cosmetics, a physical perfume and beauty business at 870 6th Avenue that also operated an internet store, was purportedly a “well-known destination” for stolen products that were taken by shoplifters.
“Retail theft is a scourge that impacts our local businesses and jeopardizes the safety of employees and customers alike,” Bragg said. “We must use every tool in our toolbox to address the root causes of retail theft, and a critical piece of that is upstream, proactive investigations into those who stand to profit.”
According to Bragg’s office, during the January raid on the company and two of its storage units on Broadway, police discovered an enormous quantity of cosmetics, medications, vitamins, grooming products, apparel, handbags, backpacks, kitchenware, appliances, Legos and other toys, coffee makers, and vacuums. The value of the pilfered items, which occupied 450 cardboard boxes, reportedly exceeded one million dollars.
The items were purloined from the shelves of CVS, Rite Aid, Walgreens, Duane Reade, Victoria’s Secret, Bath & Body Works, the NHL shop, and Ulta Beauty, according to Bragg, who claimed that more than $200,000 worth of the merchandise had been stolen from Macy’s alone.
Three counts of criminal possession of stolen goods have been brought against Bibi Rehana Khan, 54, of Mount Vernon, Aaron Khan, 40, of the Bronx, and Rehana’s Cosmetics by the DA’s office.
