Two arrested for operating an illegal cement factory in Maharashtra's Amravati. According to the police, 1,400 bags of expired, poor-quality cement were found at the site. The accused used to repackage used cement under reputed brand names after processing it.
Amravati police said that the racket had been operating for the last four months. DCP Ganesh Shinde told news agency IANS that the probe will check whether it was used in housing projects or sold elsewhere. He said that to verify whether the cement was original or fake, police contacted officials from Ambuja Cement and ACC Cement.
The officials confirmed that the cement was fake and had been reprocessed. They also stated that many people are using the company's brand name to sell counterfeit cement. One godown was found in Masod, the second in Navsari, and the third in Katamla near Badnera. The three warehouses were raided simultaneously.
In this case, the police have arrested Shahrukh Hasnewale and Afzal Kailiwale. The Crime Branch Unit-1 of the city police unearthed the fraud while raiding a large warehouse located in the Rajura Naka area. Simultaneous action was also taken at the other two major warehouses operating in the Masod area, where a large quantity of fake cement, empty bags, and packing machinery was recovered.
Police have detained the two accused, who are being questioned. The investigation has also revealed that this gang had been active for a long time and was making huge profits by filling substandard and expired materials into packaging of big cement brands.
Crime Branch Unit-2 is investigating the entire network in depth. Based on the recovered documents, packing materials, and machines, it is estimated that the goods were supplied to surrounding areas, including the entire district.