A unit manufacturing adulterated commodities and packing those in packets of branded companies was unearthed in Bada Bazar area here and its owner arrested, police said today.
"We have seized huge quantities of adulterated ghee, gutkha, dust tea and spices, besides empty pockets of different branded companies and equipment used for the work," said sub-divisional police officer (Berhampur) Shantanu Das.
The estimated cost of the items, seized during the operation over the week-end, is around Rs 30 lakh. The samples will be tested in the laboratary, said IIC of Bada Bazar police station Suresh Kumar Tripathy.
A case was registered against Patra five months ago after huge quantity of gutka was seized from him.
The adulterated ration items were sent to different parts of Ganjam and other districts for several months, police said.
Police suspect that the accused might be in the illegal business for last some years though he claimed that it was going on for only six months. Police also suspect the involvement of other persons.
