Ahmedabad Crime Branch busts counterfeit FMCG racket, seizes fake branded goods worth ₹20 lakh

The Ahmedabad Crime Branch has busted a major racket involving counterfeit FMCG and branded products and arrested three persons allegedly involved in the illegal trade of fake consumer goods across the city.

According to the Crime Branch official, the accused were intercepted near Bhagwat Vidyapith in the Sola area while travelling in a Hyundai Eon car. During checking, officials recovered counterfeit cigarette packets bearing the labels of popular brands such as Gold Flake and Marlboro.

Police said a subsequent search of the vehicle led to the recovery of several fake FMCG products imitating reputed brands, including Amul ghee, Wagh Bakri tea, Everest masala, Surf Excel Easy Wash detergent, Feviquick adhesive, Eno fruit salt and Jashwant Chhap bidi packets. Counterfeit goods worth ₹ 3.09 lakh were initially seized from the vehicle, following which a case under the Copyright Act was registered at the DCB Police Station.

During interrogation, investigators learnt that one of the accused, Sujeet Rajaram Poddar, allegedly procured counterfeit products from various sources and supplied them to customers across Ahmedabad.

Based on further investigation, Crime Branch teams raided two godowns located near Gota Railway Bridge, allegedly linked to the accused, from where a large stock of counterfeit FMCG products was recovered. Police said additional fake goods worth more than ₹ 15 lakh were seized during the operation.

Officials stated that the accused were allegedly misusing the brand names and packaging designs of reputed companies in an attempt to deceive consumers by selling counterfeit products in the market.

Police added that such fake products pose serious risks to public health, consumer safety and fair trade practices. Investigators are now probing the manufacturing source, supply chain, storage network and the involvement of other persons connected to the racket.

The arrested accused have been identified as Arun Kumar Rakeshbhai Gupta (36), an Uber driver from the Gota-Chandlodiya area; Sachin Rakeshbhai Gupta (38), a driver from Chandlodiya; and Sujeet Rajaram Poddar (30), a businessman from Ghatlodia.

Among the seized items were counterfeit packets and containers of Wagh Bakri tea, Everest chicken and meat masala, Amul and Sagar ghee, Tide, Ariel and Surf Excel detergents, Nescafe Sunrise coffee, Harpic toilet cleaner, Tansen tobacco products, Feviquick adhesive and bidi packets.

In total, counterfeit goods worth approximately ₹20.26 lakh were seized during the operation, police said.