Mumbai Crime Branch Busts ₹2.54 Crore Fake Apple, BoAt Accessories Racket; Over 56,000 Items Seized, 3 Arrested

Mumbai: Mumbai Police’s Crime Branch Control (CB Control) has uncovered a major counterfeit goods racket in the city, seizing over 56,000 fake mobile accessories and digital storage devices, including counterfeit Apple products and SanDisk pen drives and memory cards, during raids conducted in multiple areas. Police have arrested three persons in connection with the case.

According to Crime Branch Control officials, the raids were carried out following instructions from the Mumbai Police Commissioner to crack down on illegal and unlicensed trade activities.

Acting on a confidential tip-off, CB Control learned that certain shopkeepers in the Nagpada police station jurisdiction, particularly in Lakda Bazaar and Shuklaji Street, were storing and selling counterfeit accessories of brands like Apple, BoAt, and SanDisk.

These counterfeit items were not only being sold in physical stores but were also being advertised and promoted on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram, targeting unsuspecting consumers across Mumbai.

Based on the intelligence, two separate teams from CB Control were formed, which launched simultaneous raids on shops in the specified locations. During the operation, officers seized a total of 56,133 counterfeit items, with an estimated market value of ₹2,54,77,072 (approx. ₹2.54 crore).

The police registered an FIR under Sections 51 and 53 of the Copyright Act at Nagpada Police Station, based on a complaint filed by a representative of the affected companies. Further investigation into the distribution network and source of the counterfeit goods is currently underway.