Cops seize 669 boxes of fake sugar test strips from shop

(Right) An authentic box of strips without holes at the bottom; A box of fake strips with holes at the bottom

Cops have cautioned people to be careful while buying strips to check blood sugar level, as the Crime Branch Control of Mumbai Police's Economic Offences Wing seized a whopping 669 boxes of duplicate strips from a shop at Dawa Bazar in south Mumbai. Police have also arrested one accused in the case on Tuesday.

Following input about fake strips, a team went to P V Surgical Shop and found that the strips were counterfeit. Cops have recovered a total of 669 boxes, with each box containing 25 strips. The market price of the boxes is Rs 650, while the accused, Vijay Patel, used to buy them for Rs 50 from Delhi. Cops added that the accused used to procure around 700 boxes a week from Delhi and sell them.

Cops at P V Surgical Shop in Dawa Bazar on Tuesday

A Crime Branch Control officer told mid-day, "There is a company named One Touch Select which makes medical products. The duplicate blood sugar test strips that Patel was selling had the name One Touch Select, a company that manufactured medical products, written on it."

Inspector Nitin Patil, in-charge of Crime Branch Control, said, "669 boxes of strips have been seized in this case and the accused has been arrested and handed over to Lokmanya Tilak Marg police, which filed a case under Copyright & Trademark Act, 1957."

These strips are used mostly for testing blood sugar level at home.

Patients are required to put one drop of blood on the strip and then put the strip in the machine, following which the blood sugar level is shown on the device. In case of fake strips, the results are not accurate, said cops.

When asked how to spot if the strips are duplicate, cops said the counterfeit boxes have holes at the bottom (see pic) while the original ones do not. They also advised citizens to buy the products only from medical stores.

Meanwhile, LifeScan, global manufacturer of OneTouch brand products released a statement saying that authentic LifeScan testing strips tube package does not contain holes on the inside of the tube.

"OneTouch products are manufactured under strict 'good practice' guidelines and regulations (GXP standards). LifeScan only ever uses a tube package for testing strips that does not contain holes on the inside of the tube. Consumers should always only purchase and use genuine LifeScan products from authorised retailers, and we encourage consumers to contact us if they have any product questions or concerns."

Rs 50
Amount the accused paid for each box