Lucknow: Police on Saturday busted an alleged counterfeit pan masala manufacturing unit operating from a rented house near Sikrawar Chauraha in Madiaon and arrested two men accused of producing and selling fake products under the names of leading brands. The raid resulted in the seizure of 39.5kg of prepared pan masala, 5.5kg of loose tobacco, around 600 grams of catechu-lime powder, along with packaging material and machinery.Police said the action was initiated after Ankit Kumar, a representative of an FMCG company associated with two known brands, informed a patrol team about a suspected fake manufacturing setup in the area. Acting on the tip-off, a team from Madiaon police station raided the rented premises near Sikrawar Chauraha.On seeing the police, the two men allegedly attempted to flee but were apprehended after a brief chase. They were identified as Pawan Sahu (30) and Pintu Gupta (45), residents of Rae Bareli district.Investigators said the accused were allegedly manufacturing and packing counterfeit pan masala using branding of popular products.During the raid, police recovered branded pouches, empty wrappers, packaging boxes, an electronic packing machine, sealing equipment, fragrance bottles and other tools. Company representatives reportedly pointed out differences in sealing and batch-cutting patterns between genuine and seized packets.During questioning, the accused allegedly admitted to getting wrappers printed, adding matching fragrances and supplying the counterfeit pouches to retailers on a scooter. They told police the premises had been rented from Vipin Singh for ₹7,500 a month. Police said further investigation is underway to trace the supply chain and wider links.
