Nagpur, India: The Crime Branch's Anti-Narcotics Squad successfully carried out two significant raids on December 24, 2024, targeting the sale and storage of counterfeit Apple products in Nagpur. The operations, conducted in Dhantoli and Sitabuldi, uncovered a massive stockpile of fake Apple mobile accessories, valued at over ₹2.17 crore.

First Raid: Dhantoli

Acting on a complaint by Apple India’s legal advocate Mrunal Maheshchandra Agrawal, the squad raided NGM Mobiles near Dhanvate Chambers. They seized counterfeit Apple products worth ₹59.94 lakh. The accused, Naveen Ahmed Shakeel Ahmed, was arrested for illegally storing and selling fake products.

A case was registered against him under Sections 420 of the IPC, Sections 51 and 53 of the Copyright Act, and Sections 103 and 104 of the Trade Marks Act.

Second Raid: Sitabuldi

Later in the evening, the squad raided Rahul Market, Sitabuldi, based on similar intelligence. Eight shops, including Raj Mobiles, Nagnechi Telecom, Diya Mobiles, and Chamunda Mobiles, were inspected. Fake Apple products worth ₹1.57 crore were seized, and eight individuals were arrested:

1. Amit Dilipkumar Israni
2. Kalyan Singh Malsing
3. Prajwal Jeevan Jarulkar
4. Sunil Raheja
5. Jeparram Dewaram Chaudhary
6. Rajubhai Chaudhary
7. Bhimram Virmaram Chaudhary
8. Babu Kumar

The seized products included accessories bearing counterfeit Apple logos and labels, intended for sale. Cases were filed under similar sections of the IPC, Copyright Act, and Trade Marks Act.

The operations were executed under the guidance of Police Commissioner Ravindra Kumar Singhal, Joint Commissioner Nisar Tamboli, and Deputy Commissioner Rahul Maknikar. Officers Gajanan Gulhane, Manoj Ghurde, Vijay Yadav, and others were instrumental in the success of these raids.

This crackdown emphasizes the police’s commitment to safeguarding intellectual property rights and curbing the distribution of counterfeit goods in Nagpur.