The Delhi Police said Tuesday they have busted a racket selling counterfeit automobile spare parts operating out of the Capital’s Karol Bagh, and arrested 11 people in connection with the crime.Acting on credible tip-offs, the Inter-State Cell of the Crime Branch conducted coordinated raids on four separate premises on July 26, leading to the arrest of 11 people and the recovery of fake automobile components worth approximately Rs 50 lakh.The teams raided four locations in Nai Walan and Pusa Lane, where key suspects were apprehended along with substantial quantities of duplicate brake shoes, spark plugs, engine oils, packaging supplies, and other counterfeit parts resembling products of reputed international automobile brands, said the police.Among those arrested was Dheeraj Singh, 38, who the police identified as the alleged kingpin of the operation. A commerce graduate with prior experience in the auto industry, Singh allegedly managed the logistics and supply network. The police said his associate Amit Singh, 34, handled accounting and supply chain management, and Dipankar Nagpal, 42, supplied counterfeit branding materials. Other members of the group played roles in storage, packaging, distribution, and fake invoicing.According to the police, several members had past involvements in forgery or intellectual property rights (IPR) violations, and their detailed interrogation allegedly revealed a well-organised system aimed at deceiving both consumers and enforcement authorities.The police recovered over one lakh counterfeit parts, around 200 bottles of fake engine oil, and machines used to print labels and packaging. They also seized Rs 19 lakh in cash, forged packaging materials, holograms, stickers, and machinery used in manufacturing the counterfeit items.“These persons procured low-quality, counterfeit auto parts from local and regional manufacturers at a fraction of the cost of genuine parts. These parts were functionally similar but lacked the durability and safety standards of genuine products. Using forged labels, holograms, logos, and packaging materials, the group rebranded the fake products to resemble those of reputed automobile companies,” said Aditya Gautam, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch).Story continues below this ad“The packaging was often nearly identical to the original, making it difficult for the average buyer or mechanic to spot the difference. Printing machines, branding stamps, and packing materials were seized during the raid. The counterfeit products were sold to local auto part dealers, wholesalers, and repair shops in and around Delhi at slightly discounted prices, maximising profit margins,” added Gautam.The Delhi Police said some parts were falsely marketed as Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) surplus or “export rejects” to mislead buyers. Most of the transactions were done in cash, and fake invoices were generated to avoid detection. In some cases, the group also used online marketplaces and classified ads to reach a broader customer base, falsely advertising the parts as original, said the police.A case has been registered invoking relevant sections of the Copyright Act.