Coronavirus: 12,300 fake N95 masks seized in Bengaluru

Asghar

Counterfeiters seem to be taking full advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The CCB seized 12,300 fake N95 masks by raiding the warehouse of a firm in eastern Bengaluru’s HRBR Layout on Monday night. The masks were made by a firm named ZIS Engineering, whose warehouse is located on the second floor of a building owned by Bangalore Diabetes and Diagnostic Centre. The firm made the masks from the fabric used in the manufacture of vests and collar canvas.

It sold each mask for Rs 100 to Rs 125 and made a profit of Rs 18 to Rs 25 a piece. The CCB raided the warehouse after receiving a tip. It also arrested an employee named Asghar.

But what startled the sleuths is that the firm had already sold a staggering 70,000 fake N95 masks worth Rs 1.05 crore and was lobbying to win a government contract for 10,000 N95 masks.

Sandeep Patil, Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime), said the 12,300 masks, valued at about Rs 40 lakh, were about to dispatched to stores.

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The only thing that “certified” the masks were “N95 and ISO” letters printed on them, said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime 2) Ravi Kumar.

An N95 mask is usually made from polypropylene and can filter at least 95% of airborne particles, including novel coronaviruses.

According to Patil, the firm is owned by one Aamir Arsha, who is currently absconding. Arshad’s brother manufactures vests in Tiruppur, Tamil Nadu. It was he who allegedly supplied the raw materials for the masks, Patil added.

The CCB learnt the firm was in talks with the state government through a middleman to supply 10,000 masks. While details of the contract aren’t available, Kumar said Arshad knew the middleman and that they were trying to track him down. The middleman is also being pursued as the police believe he may have lobbied on behalf of other dubious firms.