Police on Thursday raided four shops selling fake Nokia mobile phones and accessories at Gujaratgalli in Koti and arrested four persons.
Counterfeit mobile phones and accessories of the reputed brand having face value of Rs.13 lakh were seized from them, the Commissioner's Task Force (East) Inspector, R.G. Siva Maruthi, said. The arrested persons, Prakash Nahta, 46, U. Jodhaji, 23, Jitendra Chopra, 27, and Md. Ismail Khader Ravani, 42, admitted to police that they were procuring the fake instruments from New Delhi.
The suppliers would directly come to Hyderabad and deliver the ‘material' at their shops. As a result, both the Nokia company and the gullible consumers buying these mobile phones and accessories, were incurring losses. Police believe these phones were manufactured in China and smuggled into India.
Earlier, makers fabricating products of reputed brands used to only paste stickers of the company, Nokia, on gadgets and sell the same claiming as genuine.
“When switched on, these phones display the signature ‘shaking hands' images of the Nokia company,” the police said. But these mobile phones don't have valid International Mobile Equipment Numbers. The batteries are of low quality and risky for usage since they might explode if overcharged.
Among the items seized were six pieces of N-8 and 20 pieces of N-97 models, 144 panels, 950 batteries, and 1,130 ear phones.
