The raid resulted in the seizure of 39.5kg of prepared pan masala, 5.5kg of loose tobacco, around 600 grams of catechu-lime powder, along with packaging material and machinery. Lucknow: Police on Saturday busted an alleged counterfeit pan masala manufacturing unit operating from a rented house near Sikrawar Chauraha in Madiaon and arrested two men accused of producing and selling fake products under the names of leading brands.
They were identified as Pawan Sahu (30) and Pintu Gupta (45), residents of Rae Bareli district. They told police the premises had been rented from Vipin Singh for ₹7,500 a month. You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Lucknow | Silver Rate in Lucknow | Bank Holidays in Lucknow | Public Holidays in Lucknow | Lucknow AQI | Weather in Lucknow | Petrol Price in Lucknow | Diesel Price in Lucknow | CNG Price in Lucknow | LPG Price in Lucknow Stay updated with the latest Lucknow news.
Police said the action was initiated after Ankit Kumar, a representative of an FMCG company associated with two known brands, informed a patrol team about a suspected fake manufacturing setup in the area. Investigators said the accused were allegedly manufacturing and packing counterfeit pan masala using branding of popular products. Police said further investigation is underway to trace the supply chain and wider links.
Acting on the tip-off, a team from Madiaon police station raided the rented premises near Sikrawar Chauraha. On seeing the police, the two men allegedly attempted to flee but were apprehended after a brief chase. During the raid, police recovered branded pouches, empty wrappers, packaging boxes, an electronic packing machine, sealing equipment, fragrance bottles and other tools. Company representatives reportedly pointed out differences in sealing and batch-cutting patterns between genuine and seized packets. During questioning, the accused allegedly admitted to getting wrappers printed, adding matching fragrances and supplying the counterfeit pouches to retailers on a scooter. Download the TOI App.