Several sacks containing fake salt, tea, detergent powder and other raw material were recovered from the unit located in Gomti Nagar locality.

Identified as Ashish and Ajay Agarwal, the accused also used to print duplicate packing materials of various popular brands and supply them in Lucknow and other neighbouring districts, the police said. Manufacturing, stitching, printing and packing machines were also confiscated.

The police said the accused used to supply these materials to various people who would then mix them with the original goods before supplying them.

“The unit was operational in the Vijayant Khand locality under the Gomti Nagar police circle and a raid was conducted after we received information about the racket. We also recovered huge quantity of adulterated, sub-standard and fake edible oil and biscuits,” said sub-inspector Sanjay Maurya.

“They will also be booked under Sections of the Essential Services Maintenance Act. It appears that the racket had been functioning from the basement of a building for the last few years. The main gate was kept locked from outside and they used to take the help of a ladder to enter inside, thus nothing was visible from outside,” said S C Dubey, Circle Officer, Gomti Nagar.

The factory owner, Ajay produced a valid licence for manufacturing edible oil but did not have the required documents to manufacture other products.