The Tata Steel intelligence unit along with Andhra Pradesh police seized counterfeit Tata Wiron chain link fences and barbed wires from multiple locations in Nellore district of the southern state on Friday.

Tata Wiron is the brand name for Tata Steel’s global wire business, considered one of the leading steel wire manufacturers in the world. It has manufacturing facilities at Telco in Jamshedpur and in Maharashtra.

“Tata Wiron’s chain link fences and barbed wires are packaged in a unique manner and all original products are sold with the same packaging by authorised dealers and distributors. Upon receiving information that multiple locations in Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh were selling Tata Wiron chain link fences and barbed wires in non-standard packaging, Tata Steel with the help of Andhra Pradesh police conducted joint raids in four locations and seized counterfeit chain link fences worth Rs 5 lakh and barbed wires estimated at Rs 1.54 lakh,” said a Tata Steel spokesperson.

The raids were conducted at four locations under Vedayapalem, Venkatachala Satram and Sydapuram police stations in Nellore district.

“This unauthorised use of the Tata Wiron name is infringing on the intellectual property rights of Tata Steel. The owners were selling fake chain link fences and barbed wires of substandard quality to consumers as Tata Wiron products,” the spokesperson added.

Cases were lodged against dealers — Asian Wire Industries and Sri Venkateshwara Wire Products (both under Vedayapalem police station), Sri Lakshmi Wire (under Venkatachala Satram police station) and Sree Srinivasa Industries (under Sydapuram police stations) — and four officials have been detained. “Cases have been lodged under Section 420 of the IPC and Section 63 of the Copyright Act. Both the sections are non-bailable,” the spokesperson said.

“Tata Steel’s products possess tremendous goodwill in the minds of the consumers by virtue of the quality of the products. Such unauthorised use of the company’s name on wire products which do not meet the quality standards of Tata Steel products hampers the reputation of the company. Tata Steel condemns the misuse of the trademarks and logos,” said a communiqué issued by the Tata Steel corporate communications department on Friday evening.