Hyderabad Task Force busts fake Karachi mehendi unit
HYDERABAD: The Commissioner’s Task Force, South-East Zone, busted an illegal manufacturing unit producing duplicate Karachi mehendi cones and arrested two persons on January 13, 2026.
Raids at Balapur, Afzalgunj locations
Acting on a tip-off, task force teams, along with Balapur and Afzalgunj police stations, simultaneously raided a house at Minar Colony in Balapur and a cargo office at Afzalgunj. The police seized machinery and duplicate Karachi mehendi worth about ₹8 lakh.
The arrested persons were identified as Md Asif (48), a carpenter from Minar Colony, Balapur, who was running the manufacturing unit, and Deepak Kumar (25), a businessman from Gowliguda Chaman, who acted as the wholesaler and supplier.
Machinery, chemicals seized
Police seized 8,400 duplicate Karachi mehendi cones, a filling machine, a mixer, heating stoves, a weighing machine, packing material and 200 Karachi-labelled boxes. Officers also recovered 10 drums of mixed material, 100 kg of mehendi dry powder, 5 kg of oxalic acid, 2 kg of colouring material and two mobile phones.
According to the police, Asif initially produced unbranded mehendi cones but later began manufacturing fake Karachi mehendi due to high market demand. The products were supplied to shops in the twin cities and other places through private transport, passing them off as original.
The operation was carried out under the supervision of Inspector S Saidababu of the South-East Zone Task Force, with support from Balapur and Afzalgunj police.
