Surat – In a significant crackdown, the Surat District Local Crime Branch (LCB) police have busted a factory manufacturing counterfeit Eno soda and incense sticks. Four individuals have been arrested, and goods worth Rs 10 lakh have been seized in the operation.
Acting on a tip-off, the police raided a warehouse in the National Industrial Estate, Navi Pardi village, and a house in Pinal Residency, Ghaludi village. The raid revealed a thriving business of producing and selling duplicate Eno soda using machinery and packaging material that mimicked the Eno brand. Two accused were caught red-handed in the warehouse while packing Eno brand soda pouches.
Further investigation led the police to a rented house in Pinal Residency, where they discovered boxes of duplicate Eno soda, Mangaldeep incense sticks, and Veet hair removal cream. Two more individuals were apprehended at this location.
The arrested suspects are identified as Deepak Odhavjibhai Vaghasiya (48), Shabbirbhai Najubhai Belim (40), Jagdishbhai Parasmalji Mali (22), and Vijayraj Mitharam Mali (32). Among the seized items were assembled packaging machines, air machines, Eno packing rolls, raw materials for making Eno powder, cello tape rolls, and 17,340 filled Eno pouches. Additionally, the police found five cartons of Veet hair removal cream and Mangaldeep Anushree incense sticks.
Initial investigations suggest that the counterfeit operation had been running for the last 15-20 days. The police are now probing the extent of the distribution network and the number of fake products sold, based on a complaint from the authorized company officer.
