Fake brand items flood markets

The recent recovery of fake watches of leading international brands in Chandigarh has opened up a Pandora’s box. The duplicate goods industry includes apparel, shoes, crockery, cold drinks and cosmetics of international brands. It all started when major companies like Tommy Hilfiger, Tag Heuer, Puma and Polo looked at their sales volumes in Chandigarh and observed a mysterious slump. Failing to identify a reason for such a state of affairs, they hired a local company to investigate the matter on their behalf. That is how Romesh Dutt, director of Speed Search and Security Networks Private Limited, an individual property rights company, filed complaints and conducted raids. Company officials said they have recovered fake material worth Rs 10 crore in the city over the last one year. “Over one year, we recovered fake clothes, shoes, watches and cosmetics of leading brands, worth Rs 10 crore from different places in Chandigarh. The seized material is now case property and is in police custody. But more fake products are readily available in various shops in the city. They are selling products without any check,” Romesh Dutt, who also runs a detective agency, told TOI. “The material is usually brought to the city once or twice a month by trucks. The fake goods are then stored in godowns and supplied to dealers, who supply the same to shops. Besides customs officials, tour and travel operators are also involved in the racket. We are collecting documentary evidence against them and will make a disclosure soon,” Romesh Dutt, who also runs a detective agency said. Last week, police raided two shops in Sector 22 and recovered fake watches worth more than Rs 80 lakh in the international market. Ashish Kapoor, deputy suprintendent of police (central) said, “We conducted the raids last week after a tip-off. We are working on ascertaining places where the fake products are available and will continue conducting raids.”

Modus operandi Traders don’t display many duplicates of leading brands in their shops. They have a loyal clientele who have been regulars for years. Every month, at least four to five trucks carrying duplicate clothes and accessories reach Chandigarh their main targets are college students and gullible people.

Trade route Fake watches, cosmetics, crockery and shoes are smuggled from China and Thailand. The goods reach seaports in Kolkata, Gujarat and Mumbai. From there, smugglers take possession of containers and send the material to Chandigarh via road, Fake denim and jeans of leading brands are manufactured in Delhi while fake shirts and t-shirts are stitched in Chennai, from where the material reaches Chandigarh via road from Chandigarh, the material is supplied to different parts of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir.

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-02-21/chandigarh/37220785_1_fake-watches-fake-products-fake-clothes