Balasore: An auto parts outlet allegedly engaged in manufacturing and selling counterfeit tea has been busted at Jaleswar town in Odisha’s Balasore district. The unit was allegedly using the labels of several well-known brands in a fraudulent manner.
The Police have also seized machines, packaging materials and polythene bags bearing names and logos of reputed tea companies from the factory during a special operation.
The raids were jointly conducted on Friday by a special team from Delhi and Jaleswar Police following a directive of the Delhi High Court. Earlier, a complaint was lodged by some tea firms including Tata Tea in the Delhi High Court alleging that a racket in Odisha is selling contraband tea packets at cheap price and affecting their business.
The raids revealed that an auto part centre signboard was put outside the bogus tea packaging factory at Agrawala Chowk along National Highway 60 under Jaleswar police station limits in Balasore district. The factory was operating at a rented place.
The packaging centre housed machines, polythene bags with labels and logos of reputed tea companies, machines and other packaging materials.
Meanwhile, owner of the factory Ramchandra Bhuyan clarified that companies mostly objected to the use of specific words in their packaging and demanded a complete stop to the same. He added they have been operating for the last 2-3 years.
