Beware of Fake hand-sanitizers in the market, Rachakonda cops bust racket

Hyderabad: Rachakonda police have busted two fake hand-sanitizers manufacturing units and seized huge stocks at Kushaiguda and Abdullapurmet in Hyderabad. Police also seized raw material worth Rs 60 lakh from both units.

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Acting on specific information, police teams along with Dr. Balakrishna, Drug Inspector, Ayush Department, Telangana, Gowtham Kumar, Tehsildar Kapra and revenue officials raided Seven Hills Softgel Company at Charlapally in Kushaiguda.

Police found sanitizers by the brand name of SEMUNS Cleanse and KAUSTHUBHA Coclean 19 in the unit. Police later arrested Managing Director of Seven Hills Softgel Company Krishna Kiran, General Manager Vemuri Venkata Subramanyam and Maintenance Engineer cum Marketing Manager Vemuri Vishwanath

Police recovered 180 cartons containing 25,000 100ml bottles, eleven drums of Iso- Propyl Alcohol weighing 162 kgs and other material worth Rs 40 lakh.

Investigations revealed that Kakarlapudi Krishna Kiran obtained a licence for Ayush Softgel capsules and Syrups in 2018 and started operations at IDA Cherlapally. Since the demand for hand sanitizers has increased multifold after COVID-19 outbreak, the sales have been surging across the globe prompting retailers to hike prices.

"Normally, hand sanitizers turn dry as soon as they are applied on hands. But the particular company's sanitizer does not dry," Rachakonda commissioner Mahesh Bhagwat said.

The accused has so far manufactured fake sanitizers by the brand name of SEMUNS Cleanse, SEMUNS Coclean 19, and Medipro and distributed those in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

Since January, the company has manufactured and marketed one lakh bottles worth Rs.1. 44 crore. While the approximate cost for manufacturing is Rs. 46 per bottle including GST, the accused used to sell it at Rs.144. Police have seized 50 lakhs bottles of fake sanitizers from the manufacturing unit and sub-unit.

In the second operation, police raided a manufacturing unit at Abdullapurmet and arrested Chandan Panjwani, Anil Kumar and Bommu Shanker. Around 2,500 fake sanitizer bottles and other raw material worth Rs 10 lakh were seized from the location.

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