Counterfeit cigarettes: NTC gets case registered against four accused

ISLAMABAD: The National Tobacco Company has got a criminal case registered against four persons for allegedly selling counterfeit cigarettes, causing revenue loss to the tune of million by committing tax evasion.

The company has shared the details of the incidence including FIR with the tax authorities of Azad Kashmir and the Federal Board of revenue (FBR) here on Friday.

Chishtian Police of Bahawalnagar district-Punjab has registered a case against Haq Nawaz alias Ganj Shakar, Irfan son of Yaqoob, Akbar Abbas son of Haji Mehr Deen and Arshad Abbas son of Haji Mehr Deen following a complaint from a legal adviser of the company.

The adviser informed the police that National Tobacco Company was a registered company in Azad Kashmir with its head office in Lahore. The company regularly pays all its taxes while all its brands are registered under the trademark and copy rights. Main brands of the company include Kissan, Classic and Hero, according to the FIR.

Legal adviser informed the police that some fraudsters were manufacturing counterfeit cigarettes in Chishtian tehsil of Bahawalnagar district of Punjab under the Classic and Hero brands and were selling them illegally. The scoundrels were using the fake color scheme of the trademark to sell them in the market, FIR stated.

According to a copy of the FIR, the legal adviser of the company informed the police that sale and purchase of the counterfeit cigarettes was not only hurting reputation of the company but also damaging the users’ health.

The company’s team had confiscated the counterfeit cigarettes from the market and shopkeepers failed to furnish a sale invoice for them. The shopkeepers pointed the accused for selling them the counterfeit cigarettes.

The company has urged the police to take stringent action against the accused for selling the counterfeit cigarettes by impersonating its well-established brand, and stop their illegal activities forthwith.

The police have registered a case and started further investigation into the matter.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021