Adulterated tobacco seized, three detained

JAJPUR:  A special task force (STF) of State Crime Branch on Friday seized a huge cache of counterfeit tobacco products, raw material and equipment during raids on two counterfeit zarda manufacturing units at Bidhyadharpur village within Byree police limits. Three persons have been detained and two separate cases registered in this connection. Sources said, acting on a tip-off, the STF team in association with Byree police personnel conducted simultaneous raids at different places in Bidyadharpur village and Chhatia. 

During the raids, huge quantity of duplicate tobacco products under popular brand ‘Gopal Zarda’, instruments for manufacturing the fake products and duplicate tobacco materials were seized from two persons, Gauranga Patra and Parsuram Patra of Bidyadharpur village.In a simultaneous raid, a huge cache of duplicate products of the same brand were recovered from one Ramesh Patra of the same village.

A total of 1.40 quintal fake tobacco products manufactured in name of Gopal Zarda, 2.12 quintal tobacco, 505 litre glycerine, 3.6 kg fake Shivdata, 3.6 kg Suravi Zarda, 18 kg Kanak Zarda, 60 litre perfume, huge quantity of tin containers and other manufacturing equipment were seized during the raids, police said. 
“We have registered two different cases under relevant sections of IPC, Copyright Act, Trademark Act, 1999 and COTPA Act, 2003 and detained three persons in connection with the incident,” said a police officer of Byree police station.