Embossed Mandarin on labels of some firecrackers here led to suspicion and created a flutter that it could have been illegally imported from China when a special team conducted an inspection today at a market here.
"The crackers are Indian-made, there is no doubt, the presence of labels with Chinese characters which led to suspicion that it may have been imported illegally from China," Police Inspector (Triplicance) G Manivannan told PTI.
He said it has been found that they are Indian-made.
The police officials said these wrappers were printed earlier for over 300 types of crackers.
He said the presence of labels with Mandarin characters were found by an inspection team assigned to check and seize illegally imported Chinese crackers.
As part of such routine exercise against illegal Chinese crackers, an inspection was held in the sprawling Island Grounds market here.
"The Indian (Sivakasi) manufacturer has clarified that letters of foreign languages were printed over labels naming the type of crackers so that it could be easy for the importer to sell in their countries," the police official added.
Meanwhile, an Island Grounds retailer told reporters that "we have already given an undertaking to the authorities that we will not sell Chinese crackers, and these wrappers with Chinese letters were printed in Sivakasi."
The retailer said the shop-keepers there had sought permission to use such wrappers on the crackers till such time these stocks last.
