Cops raid factories making fake cosmetic products, seize equipment worth ₹1.41 crore

A team headed by PI Nitin Patil seized empty boxes, stickers, packaging material, emboss machines, compact powder making machine and other equipment from the factories, which were then sealed. The crime branch learnt that the factories supplied fake cosmetic products to Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Gujarat and other states.

MUMBAI: Two days after fake cosmetic products worth ₹18 lakh were seized from a tempo outside a godown in Mahim, a crime branchy team on Friday raided factories in Nalasopara and Vasai where these products were allegedly being manufactured and seized equipment and materials worth ₹1.41 crore.

Cops raid factories making fake cosmetic products, seize equipment worth ₹1.41 crore

A team headed by PI Nitin Patil seized empty boxes, stickers, packaging material, emboss machines, compact powder making machine and other equipment from the factories, which were then sealed. The crime branch learnt that the factories supplied fake cosmetic products to Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Gujarat and other states.

Friday’s action follows the seizure of duplicate cosmetics being sold under the labels of well-known brands such as Lakme, Loreal, Huda Beauty and Maybelline, from a tempo by the crime branch on Tuesday.

The police had arrested Mohammed Sabeer Zuber Masalawala, a Nalasopara resident, who was in the tempo and had claimed ownership of the seized wares. He was handed over to the Mahim police for further investigation. He was produced in court on Friday and was sent to police custody till June 12.

The informants took the officials along to a place in Reti Bunder, Mahim, on Tuesday night where they pointed towards a vehicle parked outside a godown. The police found the fake products packed in many boxes in the tempo.

“A copyrights expert, who was with us, identified the small differences on the packaging that helped us determine that the products were knock-offs,” said an officer from the crime branch.

The fake products found together amounted to ₹18,07,810. They were seized by the police as evidence. Some of the products have been sent to a laboratory to check whether they were harmful to the user.

“Other than the accused, there were two men in the said tempo. One was the owner of the vehicle and the other was for loading and unloading the boxes. They were let go as their involvement in the crime could not be established,” added the officer.