Meerut: Factory Producing Counterfeit Cigarettes of ITC Company Busted in Uttar Pradesh (Video)
Police in Meerut busted an illegal factory producing counterfeit ITC cigarettes, arresting the main operator, Ravi Kishore. The unit generated 50 lakh cigarettes daily, which were distributed across multiple states, utilising raw materials sourced from Cambodia and Rajasthan. Scroll below to know more.
Police in Uttar Pradesh’s Meerut district have dismantled an illegal factory producing counterfeit cigarettes of popular ITC brands. The unit, operating from an old school building near a government gaushala in Dudhli village under Hastinapur police station limits, was raided late on Thursday, September 3. Authorities recovered finished and semi-finished cigarettes, raw materials, packaging items and manufacturing machines.
The main operator, identified as Ravi Kishore, a 52-year-old man linked to Delhi, was arrested. He has been sent to judicial custody. Meerut Latest News Today on September 5th, 2026: PM Modi Inaugurates RRTS, ED Toll Fraud Raid & POCSO FIR.
Illegal ITC Cigarette Manufacturing Unit Uncovered in Meerut
यूपी के मेरठ में नकली सिगरेट बनाने की फैक्ट्री पकड़ी गई है.
इस फैक्ट्री में ITC कंपनी की नकली सिगरेट बनाई जाती थी, जिसमें ये ब्रांड शामिल थे ⬇️
• गोल्ड फ्लेक (Gold Flake)
• क्लासिक (Classic)
• विल्स नेवी कट (Wills Navy Cut)
• इंडिया किंग्स (India Kings)
• सिजर्स… pic.twitter.com/IytS75IwLX
— Ranvijay Singh (@ranvijaylive) September 5, 2026
Brands and Scale of Operations
The factory was manufacturing lookalike versions of several ITC brands, including Gold Flake (Premium and Black variants), Classic, Wills Navy Cut, India Kings, Scissors, Insignia, Players and Bristol. Journalist Ranvijay Singh said that the fake cigarette manufacturing factory was producing 50 lakh cigarettes daily. The counterfeit products were being distributed to markets in Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Haryana, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. Seized items included dozens of cartons of ready Gold Flake cigarettes, rolls, filters and other packing material. During the raid, officals recovered cigarettes worth approximately INR 1.5 crore and machinery worth INR 5 million, reports Jagran.
How the Raid Unfolded
ITC’s investigation team had been monitoring a drop in genuine sales and the appearance of parallel supply in markets for about a month. The trail led to a container seized in Delhi’s Sadar Bazar. Following that lead, company officials coordinated with Meerut police. A joint team conducted the late-evening raid on the premises, which had been rented under the pretext of running a dairy or mushroom cultivation unit. Ravi Kishore was present at the site and detained. Some workers fled during the operation; others were detained for questioning. Police recovered three generators that had been hired under the dairy-plant cover story. The building, previously used as a school and later linked to a degree college that had shifted, had been leased for three years starting January 2026 at INR 50,000 per month. How a YouTube 'Secret House' Game and '24-Hour Challenge' Triggered a Police Search in Meerut.
Supply Chain Links
Initial investigation indicates the special wrapping paper and filter material were sourced from Cambodia, while low-grade tobacco came from Rajasthan. Packaging and final production took place at the Meerut unit before distribution across multiple states. Officers are examining possible international links and the wider supply network. Police are also looking into the roles of other individuals named during questioning and the circumstances under which the building was rented. Meerut Rural SP Abhijeet Kumar and SSP BBGTS Murthy have confirmed the recovery and arrest. A case has been registered on a complaint from ITC officials, and further investigation into the network and potential tax evasion is underway.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 05, 2026 11:42 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
