New Delhi, May 5 (IANS) In a major crackdown on counterfeit trade, the Western Range-I of the Crime Branch, Delhi Police on Tuesday has busted an organised racket involved in the sale of fake branded garments and accessories. The operation led to a massive seizure of counterfeit goods from a luxury hotel in Vasant Kunj, where a temporary exhibition was being held under the guise of a “discount sale.”
According to officials, a huge quantity of counterfeit readymade garments, accessories, footwear, and luxury watches of reputed brands such as Peter England, Allen Solly, Mufti, Van Heusen, Jack & Jones, Calvin Klein, Zara, GANT, US Polo, and Aurelia were recovered. In addition, ladies’ purses of premium brands like Michael Kors and luxury watches of Michael Kors, Armani Exchange, and Omega were also seized. The police further recovered cash amounting to Rs 2,87,210, along with swipe machines, QR code payment devices, bill books, and other incriminating materials.
The operation was carried out by a dedicated team led by Inspector Ashish Sharma, along with SI Prakash, SI Guman Singh, ASI Sandeep Chawla, W-ASI Narendra Kaur, and other staff, under the supervision of ACP Raj Kumar.
The raid was conducted on May 3, after receiving a complaint from representatives of Brand Protectors India Pvt. Ltd., including Amanpreet Singh and Director Dhirender Singh. Acting swiftly, the Crime Branch team raided a prominent hotel in Vasant Kunj, where they discovered a well-organised exhibition falsely projecting itself as a legitimate discount sale.
Customers visiting the exhibition were shown garments and accessories branded as premium labels and were misled into believing they were purchasing genuine products at discounted prices. To enhance credibility, the accused issued proper-looking bills and accepted payments through modern methods such as swipe machines and UPI QR codes.
The complainants identified several items bearing the names of reputed brands, including Peter England, Allen Solly, and Mufti, and confirmed that the products were counterfeit and being sold as authentic goods.
During the raid, Iqbal, son of Rahman, aged 51 and a resident of Punhana in Haryana’s Nuh district, was found managing the exhibition and sales operations. He was immediately detained and later arrested.
Investigations revealed that the accused were running a well-organised racket by setting up temporary exhibitions in hotels and convention centres across Delhi and other cities. They sold high-quality counterfeit products, often described as “export surplus” while deliberately misleading customers into believing they were original branded items.
To attract buyers, heavy discounts were offered and a sense of urgency was created. The use of professional billing systems, multiple bill books, and digital payment platforms such as Paytm, PhonePe, and Google Pay gave the operation an appearance of legitimacy.
During interrogation, Iqbal admitted that he was working under the directions of co-accused Farukh Ahmad, who is believed to be the mastermind behind the racket. Iqbal stated that he was responsible for supervising daily operations, managing staff, handling customers, and overseeing sales proceeds. He also disclosed that he received a commission of approximately 8–10 per cent of the profits.
Police said Farukh Ahmad organised such exhibitions in reputed hotels across various cities, arranged logistics and manpower, and supplied counterfeit goods, including clothing, footwear, and watches.
The police recovered substantial quantities of counterfeit items, including 20 Michael Kors purses, 10 luxury watches (including Michael Kors, Tissot, Armani Exchange, and Omega), over 1,000 Allen Solly lowers, hundreds of T-shirts of various brands, women’s coats, and numerous other garments such as kurtis, tops, dresses, and trousers. Footwear, including shoes and slippers of brands like Puma and Adidas, was also seized.
Additionally, five Pine Labs swipe machines, multiple QR code scanners with active SIM cards, bill books (both filled and blank), stamps, calculators, and security tag detachers were recovered, indicating a large-scale commercial operation.
A case has been registered under FIR No. 111/2026 dated May 4, 2026, at the Crime Branch police station under relevant Sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Copyright Act. The accused has been arrested, and the court has granted two days of police custody for further investigation.
Police said efforts are underway to apprehend other individuals involved and to trace the entire supply chain of counterfeit goods.
The Delhi Police has urged citizens to exercise caution while purchasing branded items from exhibitions and discount sales. Consumers are advised to verify product authenticity and buy only from authorised dealers.
Officials emphasised that such rackets not only cheat consumers but also cause significant financial losses to genuine brands and the government exchequer. The police reiterated their commitment to taking strict action against those involved in counterfeit trade and undermining consumer trust.
Further investigations are in progress to dismantle the entire network behind the illegal operation.
–IANS
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