Cuttack: The Commissionerate Police on Thursday busted a duplicate gutkha (tobacco) manufacturing unit in Buxi Bazar area of Cuttack City.
Acting on a tip-off, a team of Cantonment police conducted raids at two business establishments in Buxi Bazar area and busted the illegal gutkha manufacturing unit.
The enforcement team also seized 104 fake gutkha containers and 22 fake gutkha pouches and arrested two persons whom they identified as Rakesh Prusti and Sheikh Shahid.
The market value of the seized fake tobacco products are said to be worth lakhs of rupees, said sources.
According to police, the accused person used to manufacture the fake gutkha and sell them in the name of a branded company at cheap price.
Their illegal business was going on well as people used to purchase their product a lot because they were getting the gutkha in the name of well-known company at low price.
After arresting, police interrogated Both Rakesh Prusti and Sheikh Shahid thoroughly to get some lead among them about the involvement of others in the illegal business and the places where they used to sell such products. Later, both of them were forwarded to the court.
Ms Kalinga