A series of raids across Delhi over the past few months has revealed a disturbing reality -- counterfeiters in the national capital are no longer limiting themselves to luxury knock-offs or small-scale fakes.

From "desi ghee" to antacid powders, engine oil to shampoo and detergent, and from jeans to school textbooks, the Delhi Police have unearthed a vast and fast-expanding counterfeit economy that is directly infiltrating every home.

"Counterfeiting is a serious offence but our teams are also keeping strict vigil and arrested those who are behind," a senior police officer said.

Since 2023, police have unearthed 740 cases related to the production and sale of fake goods, police said, adding that from January to September this year, a total of 132 cases have been registered under the Copyright Act.

The officer said the network has emerged as one of the biggest threats to public health and consumer safety in recent years.

In one of the major raids, police teams in Alipur recovered around 1,500 kgs of spurious 'desi ghee', packed in tins with labels mimicking popular brands.

The product, police said, was nothing more than a mix of refined oil, artificial flavour and low-grade additives that could cause severe digestive and long-term health issues. Along with the stocked product, police seized drums of raw material and packing machines that had been running unchecked for months.

A similar unit in Bawana Industrial Area was later busted, where thousands of litres of adulterated ghee were found stored in unhygienic conditions, the police said.

The racketeers were using low-cost vegetable oil blended with chemicals designed to mimic the aroma of 'desi ghee', they said.

However, the most alarming crackdown came when police unearthed a unit manufacturing fake antacid sachets -- the type used almost daily in households.

Officers seized nearly 1 lakh packets along with raw powders, packaging rolls and sealing machines. The packaging was nearly identical to leading brands, making them extremely difficult for an ordinary buyer to detect, the police said.

The raiding team found that the fake antacids did not contain the correct medicinal compounds, raising fears that consumers relying on them during emergencies could suffer serious complications.