The Commissionerate Police on Monday busted a counterfeit cement manufacturing unit which was operating at Champati village under Jagatpur police limits. The owner of the unit has been detained for questioning.
Senior Commissionerate Police officials said the unit was engaged in manufacturing counterfeit cement by recycling expired cement and mixing other raw materials including dust with it.
The unit mostly used to buy expired or damaged stock of expired cement at cheaper rates. Later, they used to change it into fresh cement by adding colour and other raw materials. ACP Amarendra Panda said the unit used to refill the cement in bags with logos of reputed cement brands. Huge quantities of empty bags of various cement companies have also been seized from the unit.
“We conduct a raid at the unit after getting inputs that adulterated cement is being manufactured by using expired cement stock after recycling it. We have found that the unit used to procure the sacks of reputed cement brands from Berhampur,” said Panda.
Panda further said that such illegal activities can prove dangerous as people would buy those by taking as reputed cement brands, but actually they would end up buying counterfeit products. “Such illegal units are playing with the lives of people. Appropriate action will be taken against the traders who are indulging in such unlawful acts to make profits,” he added.
The IIC of Jagatpur police station said, “Around 1000 bags of cement has been seized from the spot. Another truck loaded with the damaged stock has also been detained. Further investigation in connection with the incident is on.”
In February 2021, the Commissionerate Police had busted a godown storing such fake cement packs near Khaira bride under Jagatpur police limits.