Consumers in the town need to think twice before they purchase branded chocolates for their kids as counterfeit chocolates packed in the name of reputed brands are being sold in the town, according to police investigation.
Police have unearthed two duplicate chocolate manufacturing units in different places of the town on Wednesday evening. Around 365 kg of duplicate chocolates were seized from these units.
These units were running for several years at the Shastri Nagar area and near Khapasa Street under Bada Bazar police station here.
Police also seized five chocolate making machines, printed papers and other equipment used for manufacturing the counterfeit chocolates. The owners of the factories have been arrested.
The persons arrested were identified as P Prasad Rao and Prabhu Rao. The seized chocolates would be sent to the laboratory to test adulteration, said police sources.
“We will send the seized chocolates to verify the adulteration in them. We will book the manufacturer of fake chocolates under the Food Adulteration Act, if any adulteration is found in the seized chocolates”, said PN Majhi, the officer in-charge of Bada Bazar police.
This is a major success by the police after it had unearthed illegal units producing adulterated oil and spices a few months back. Acting on the tip off, the police simultaneously raided both the chocolate making units in the town. The raids continued till the mid-night. Police said the printed papers used for packaging of chocolates were procured from Kolkata while the chocolates were manufactured at the local units. Apart from Berhampur, the unscrupulous traders were supplying the duplicate chocolates to different towns in the state including Koraput, Jeypore, Rayagada, Khurda, Cuttack and Balasore, police added.
Due to the circulation of duplicate chocolates packed in the name of reputed brands in the market, the genuine chocolate manufacturing companies had sustained huge losses.
Besides, the company loses the good-will of the consumers when the duplicate chocolates are marketed in the name of reputed brands, said the area manager of a noted chocolate manufacturer on the condition of anonymity.
