Fake tobacco products seized in Odisha's Jajpur, three held

A haul of fake tobacco products was seized by the Special Task Force of the Odisha Crime Branch on Friday after several raids were conducted at different places across the state's Jajpur district.

As many as three people have been detained and two separate cases have been registered at the Byree Police station in connection with the seizure.

As per a statement, a Special Task Force of the Odisha Crime Branch had conducted simultaneous raids at different places in the state's Chhatia and Byree against illegal storage, manufacturing and counterfeiting and selling of fake tobacco products.

"During raids, police seized huge quantity of duplicate tobacco product under a brand 'Gopal Zarda', instruments for manufacturing the fake products and duplicate tobacco materials from the possession of two persons identified as Gauranga Patra and Parsuram Patra of Bidyadharpur village under Byree police limits," the statement said.

A huge cache of such duplicate products from a simultaneous raid were recovered from possession of one person identified as Ramesh Patra.

"A total of 1.40 quintal fake tobacco product manufactured in name of Gopal Zarda, 2.12 quintal tobacco materials, 505-litre glycerine, 3.600 kilograms of fake Shivdata, 3.600 kilograms of Suravi Zarda, 18 kilograms of Kanak Zarda, 60 litres of perfumes, a huge quantity of tin containers and other manufacturing equipment including fake tobacco products producing machine, grinder for mixing tobacco products, electric iron and duplicate sealing materials were seized during the raids," JN Pankaj, Deputy Inspector General of the Special Task Force said.

( With inputs from ANI )