How a racket manufacturing fake ENO, Nescafé products operated out of two Delhi flats

Deputy Commissioner of Police Rahool Alwal said, “This case exposes a well-organised criminal network engaged in the manufacturing, repackaging, and distribution of counterfeit commonly used products. Such activities not only cheat consumers but also endanger public health. Our teams are working to identify the entire supply chain, including sources of raw materials and distribution channels, to dismantle the network completely.”

Arrests and seizures

The operation came on the police radar following specific intelligence inputs, prompting a coordinated raid by teams of the Cyber Cell and Southern Range of the Crime Branch, said officers. a

When the officers entered the premises, production was allegedly underway. Workers were found filling sachets, sealing them, and stacking cartons for dispatch.

Officers said the two workers present at the site, identified as Uttam Das and Papai Das, were apprehended on the spot. Their questioning led the police to Nitin Bhardwaj, the alleged mastermind.

Using technical surveillance, teams tracked him down to Sahastradhara in Uttarakhand, from where he was arrested. Further leads resulted in the arrest of another key associate, Sanjay Bansal, near Kashmere Gate in Delhi, as he allegedly attempted to flee the city. The timeline of the arrests has not been shared yet.

Police said representatives from the original manufacturing companies later confirmed that the seized products were counterfeit with no authorisation or licensing granted to the accused.

Police said the extent of the recovery clearly indicates the scale of the illegal operation – 68,256 ready sachets, 1,000 empty boxes, 27,000 empty wrappers, and 14,896 seal stickers used for manufacturing and packaging counterfeit ENO powder have been seized. Additionally, two drums containing raw material, two hot guns used for packaging, seven foil paper rolls weighing approximately 64 kg, and 240 cartons filled with fake ENO boxes were recovered from the premises.

Further, a massive quantity of counterfeit Nescafé products and related materials was seized. This included 36,480 ready sachets, six packet rolls weighing around 17 kg each, and packaging material weighing 52 kg.
Police also recovered eight gunny bags containing 322 kg of loose coffee powder, two foil packaging rolls, one gunny bag with 14 kg of transparent packaging material, 71 cardboard boxes, 216 rolls of branded tape, 220 holder materials, and 230 transparent plastic packaging packets.

Officers on operations

According to the investigators, the counterfeit goods were not crude imitations. The packaging closely resembled original products, making it nearly impossible for an average consumer to distinguish between genuine and fake. This has raised serious concerns, especially as spurious antacid powders could directly impact health if consumed.

The accused had set up fully functional mini production units with filling machines, compressors, foil packaging rolls, and heat-sealing equipment. From the outside, the apartments blended seamlessly into the neighbourhood. Inside, however, lakhs of sachets of fake antacid and coffee were being manufactured, packed, and readied for distribution across the country, said officers.

An FIR has been registered under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and further investigation is underway.