Bhubaneswar: Police have seized over one quintal of fake zarda (chewable tobacco) from a counterfeit zarda manufacturing unit in Kajimahala under the Town police station area in Bhadrak today.
Acting on a tip-off about the illegal activity, Town police raided a fake zarda manufacturing unit in the Kajimahala area, leading to the seizure of a huge cache of two hundred grams of counterfeit zarda. One person has been detained for questioning in connection with the illegal unit, while some others managed to flee.
Efforts are underway to identify and arrest the absconding accused. The seized counterfeit zarda, believed to be imitation of popular brands, poses serious health risks to consumers due to unregulated ingredients, substandard quality, and contamination.
Bhadrak district has witnessed recurring incidents of fake zarda and gutkha manufacturing units in areas like Puruna Bazar, Chandakamahala, Helasahi, and similar localities over the past few years.
