Are fake garments harmful to the skin? To ascertain this, the Central Crime Branch attached to the Bengaluru police will be sending seized fake ‘branded’ garments for testing to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL).
The CCB has registered 71 cases pertaining to fake products and arrested 119 persons. Over 90% of the products are garments. They seized garments with tags of Louis Philippe, Allen Solly, Puma, Nike, U.S. Polo and other famous clothing brands.
Investigations revealed that the business is supported by a huge network.
“Clothes are purchased in bulk from Tiruppur and other places. Chemicals and dyes are used to give the garments a fresh and unwrinkled appearance before being passed off as products of well-known brands,” said a senior CCB officer.
The police suspect that these chemicals can harm the wearer of the garment.
“We will be sending the garments to FSL to check what chemicals are used in them and the effect they have on the skin,” said S. Ravi, Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime), Bengaluru.
Infections and allergies
T.S. Vidya, president, Bangalore Dermatological Society, said that chemicals used for enhancing the texture and colour of garments can cause dermatitis.
“These chemicals can cause infections and allergy. It can become severe in some cases,” she said.
The fake products are mostly stored in godowns in and around Bommanahalli, Bommasandra, Nagawara, Moodalpalaya, Okalipuram and Chickpet.
Y.G. Muralidharan, member, Central Consumer Protection Council, said that most fake products are sold in rural areas. “Even the actual manufacturers find it very hard to differentiate between the original and fake products,” he said.
There is an urgent need to educate people on the harm caused by fake products. “It not only affects the health of consumers, but also the actual manufacturer of the product. The government incurs loss in the form of unpaid tax,” he said.
