Story:
Beware of Fake Hand Sanitizers Amid Coronavirus Scare in India.
Some fraudsters and unscrupulous traders are making and selling fake products for making money.
Facts Analysis:
After the novel strain of Coronavirus, COVID-19 spread world-wide, the demand for alcohol-based hand rub or sanitizers increased tremendously. World Health Organization, WHO recommended using it as a safety precaution to avoid the deadly virus infection. Amid the Coronavirus scare and heavy demand, sanitizers went out of stock in most places resulting in shortage and lack of necessary supply. Consumers should be careful; some fraudsters are exploiting the situation and making fake or substandard sanitizer products.
High Demand and Shortage
The demand for alcohol-based hand sanitizers increased worldwide during the Coronavirus global pandemic. It is important to remember, not all hand sanitizers work against germs and viruses like Coronavirus. According to the American Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), hand sanitizers containing greater than 60% Ethanol or 70% Isopropanol are more effective in killing germs. So, as the global pandemic is killing large number of people, making and selling the counterfeit hand sanitizers is like playing with people’s lives.
Fake Hand Sanitizers in India Amid Coronavirus Crisis
Reports from mid-March 2020 suggest a number of illegal units manufacturing the commodity have mushroomed across Haryana, especially in the NCR region. Amid high demand and shortage, people are manufacturing and selling fake sanitizers for few bucks. On tip-off, a team of officers from the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) raided a “fake” manufacturing unit making spirit-based hand sanitizers at Manesar in Gurugram district. They seized at least 5,000 hand sanitizers. Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration Department busted a fake hand sanitizer racket in Mumbai’s Vakola. Economic Offences Wing of Central Crime Branch’s (CCB) Bengaluru seized fake hand sanitizers worth lakhs during raids at two factories.
Similarly, South Zone task force police busted a fake sanitizer manufacturing racket in Old City of Hyderabad, arresting two people in connection with the case. They prepared the hand sanitizer by mixing petroleum gel with rose water and sold it at high rates. Earlier, in a similar case, the South Zone task force arrested three people from Mirchowk and Bhavani Nagar.
Related Story Online
A related story is doing rounds on social media platforms alleging to show and criticize ‘patriotic’ Muslims making and selling fake sanitizers in India. The fact of the matter is something different. The accompanying pictures in fact show a real incident not in India, but in Bangladesh.
Image of story circulating on Facebook
Rapid Action Battalion or RAB, an elite anti-crime and anti-terrorism unit of the Bangladesh Police conducted special raids in Narayanganj district of central Bangladesh. They discovered the factory responsible for the production of fake hand sanitizers. The police also arrested a resident of Noagaon area among others.
Arrest in Bangladesh – Fake hand sanitizer makers
So, in times of Coronavirus crisis, some unscrupulous traders sought to manufacturing and selling fake hand sanitizers. For your information, there is the risk of fake hand sanitizers in other countries as well. Hence, it is important for consumers to be careful of the products they are buying. On the other hand, if you don’t have access to hand sanitizers, WHO recommends regularly washing your hands with soap and water properly.
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