"The accused are missing and searches are on for their arrest," the official said. (Representational)
A Noida-based factory manufacturing and selling counterfeit products of popular household items like Harpic toilet cleaner, disinfectant Dettol, and washing powder Surf Excel, among others, has been busted, the police said on Friday.
Hundreds of these packaged items bearing labels of original products have been seized and two people identified as the owner of the factory, operating clandestinely from a house, have been charged, they said.
A police spokesperson said, "The racket was unearthed following a tip-off from Haryana about this company operating illegally and manufacturing counterfeit products of branded items from a house near Sector 81 metro station."
"When a police team reached the spot on Thursday night, it found labourers loading a truck with similar products. When probed, they told the team that were hired for daily wage labour and had no clue about the factory's works," the spokesperson said.
Further inquiry revealed that the factory belongs to a Sector-106 resident identified as Ankur and his wife's brother Sunny, the official said, adding that an FIR has been lodged against the duo under the Copy Right Act.
"The accused are missing and searches are on for their arrest," the official said.
Among the counterfeit products, police have seized around 3,500 bottles, including 2,810 empty bearing labels of Harpic toilet cleaner, 26 cartons including 15,400 sachets of Surf Excel detergent powder, 114 bottles containing 500 ml Vim dish washing liquid, 575 bottles of Colin glass cleaner, 2,842 bottles of antiseptic Dettol liquid, according to a statement.
Police have also impounded a truck that was found at the spot.