Surat: City police have busted a fake cosmetics manufacturing unit operating in the Godadara area, exposing yet another scam involving duplicate products being sold in the name of reputed brands. The factory was allegedly producing counterfeit cosmetic items on a large scale and selling them through online platforms, including Flipkart, at heavily discounted rates.

According to the investigation, the accused, Hitesh Kataria, had been running the illegal operation for the past eight months. He reportedly manufactured lookalike cosmetic products and sold them online at nearly half the original market price, luring customers with cheap deals. Officials warned that such counterfeit cosmetics can pose serious risks to skin and health.

Acting on a tip-off, the Godadara police conducted a raid and seized goods worth over Rs 8.29 lakh. The confiscated material included ready-made fake cosmetic products, empty containers, stickers, packaging material bearing Flipkart branding, and other machinery used in the operation.

Police have detained Kataria and initiated further legal proceedings. Investigators are also questioning him to determine whether others are involved in the racket. DeshGujarat