Crime branch in Pune seizes about 73,000 fake swine flu facemasksIndia News and Travel Times Provides India-centric and other News and Features

The crime branch has seized about 73,000 fake N95 facemasks from two different warehouses in Pune and arrested two people involved. The raid was conducted after specific information from N95 manufacturing Company, 3M, with its headquarters in America. Police said that 3M is the largest manufacturer of swine flu masks in the world and had filed complaint of counterfeit masks. Two tempos filled with boxes of fake facemasks were recovered from warehouses belonging to the Mehta Life and Science and other one belonging to the Parekh Pharmaceuticals. "Acting on a tip off, we raided the godown of the company. In search operation, we found masks worth 70, 000 rupees. About 73, 000 masks were recovered. Company officials have confirmed that all the recovered facemasks are fake. Duplicate trademark was made on these marks and were being sold in the Pune on a large scale," said Sunil Kubare, Deputy Commissioner of Police. Two suspects, one of the Mehta Life and Science and other of the Parekh Pharmaceuticals have been arrested, police said. The guilty have been booked under Sections of the Copy Rights Act and the Intellectual Property Rights Act. Investigations are on to find out fake masks manufacturing companies and the people involved in the racket. As per media reports, several fake facemasks were being sold in Pune during the severe outbreak of swine flu or H1N1 influenza.