Fake copies of high-end and fast-fashion brands including Ralph Lauren, Polo, Nike, Puma, and Levi’s were found in the police raid that were done in the manufacturing units in Bylakonenahalli and Nelamangala areas of Bengaluru’s rural district of Karnataka.
This late-night crackdown by the police led to the seizing of clothes worth Rs. 30 lakh (US $ 35,000) and uncovering of large-scale operations that manufacture jeans and other apparel under the guise of leading global brands. The police also revealed that post their production, these clothing items were getting stored in a godown that operated under an unregistered name, AA Fashions.
An officer, who was a part of the raid, highlighted the clear intention of manufacturers of selling these items as genuine products in the market. The officer also stated that this unit was unauthorised without any legal manufacturing licence, and also said that such counterfeit operations can pose a threat to brands’ reputation and break consumers’ trust.
While a case has been registered under the Copyright Act, police still suspect a broader supper chain network of counterfeit products and they also said that they are working at identifying all the connected parties. Meanwhile, the authorities have also urged the customers to buy from only authorised retailers and brands’ shops in order to avoid purchasing fake items.
