Dehradun, July 11 (PTI) The Uttarakhand STF on Friday claimed to have busted a gang involved in the trade of counterfeit cigarettes of a particular brand and recovered 22,100 packets of them.
STF Senior Superintendent of Police Navneet Singh Bhullar said here that information was received that some traders had been selling counterfeit cigarettes, and the consignments could be found at their warehouses.
He said that acting on this information, a joint team of STF, police and officials from a private company conducted raids and recovered a large consignment of counterfeit cigarettes from the warehouse of Nishant Traders, located near Darshani Gate Gurudwara.
Bhullar said that a preliminary investigation has revealed that these cigarettes were being manufactured without any legal permission or tax payment.
They were being supplied to other states, including local markets, he added.
The police revealed that entities like Nishant Traders were buying these cigarettes at cheap rates and selling them to retailers as original.
The transaction was being conducted in cash instead of through the bank, thereby earning huge profits by evading tax, the police officer said.
A case has been registered against Nishant Traders under appropriate sections of copyright and Indian judicial code.
The police officer further stated that the interrogation of the accused arrested by the STF is underway, and raids are being conducted at other locations as well to uncover the entire network.