Police in Jhansi have busted an illegal manufacturing unit producing counterfeit cigarettes packaged under well-known brand names, seizing machinery, tobacco, and packaging materials valued at approximately ₹2 crore. The operator of the facility, identified as Shrinivas Mishra of Unnao, has been arrested following a late-night raid at a warehouse in Maharana Pratap Nagar, located in the Gumnawara-Pichhor area. The operation, which had allegedly been functioning for roughly three months, supplied illicit tobacco products across local markets in Jhansi as well as Kanpur, Delhi, and parts of Madhya Pradesh.
Overnight Raid Follows Corporate Complaint
The enforcement action was initiated after Rishi Mishra, a New Delhi-based manager representing ITC Limited, lodged a formal complaint alleging the production of counterfeit items replicating the company’s established labels. Acting on the grievance, personnel from the Nawabad police station cordoned off the premises and conducted an extensive search that concluded around 5 a.m. on Monday. Inside the facility, officers found three large cigarette manufacturing and packaging machines in working order, alongside a warehouse stacked to the ceiling with finished cartons and raw materials.
Machinery and Counterfeit Packaging Confiscated
During the search, police seized 81 sacks of raw tobacco, one tapping machine, six boxes of filter buds, rolls of cigarette paper, and extensive packaging supplies. Investigators also recovered 44 cartons of empty packaging carrying the Gold Flake brand name, 15 sacks of outer wrapper paper, and 18 rolls of paper printed with Wills Flake branding. Authorities suspect that the accused used two legitimately registered personal brands, Royal Scott and Defender, as a front to mask the illegal duplication of major market labels and avoid detection by regulatory bodies.
Digital Evidence Points to Inter-State Supply Chain
A case has been registered against the accused under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Trade Marks Act, and Sections 63 and 65 of the Copyright Act. Investigators have confiscated the accused’s mobile phone, where WhatsApp messages and records relating to wholesale transactions were found. Police are currently analyzing call detail records to identify suppliers of the raw tobacco, wholesale buyers, and transport operators involved in moving the counterfeit stock across state borders, with further arrests anticipated as the probe expands.
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