Schaeffler combats forgers of FAG rolling bearings in Mumbai

FAG rolling bearings from Schaeffler are highly popular with counterfeiters. Thus successful raids were conducted as an important step for the company tofight against product piracy and thus towards the protection of customers.

At these production, packaging and trading firms, police have confiscated tens of thousands of counterfeit FAG packaging units, more than 500 counterfeit FAG rolling bearings as well as various machines. The four proprietors have been arrested, and criminal proceedings have been instituted. The arrests also serve as a means of deterrence in counterfeiting circles.

The team of investigators from the agency TACT India, which safeguards our interests in India, has identified Mumbai as a central market for these counterfeit products and identified the main protagonists. Their investigations yielded sufficient information as a basis for the raids.

However, the firms involved had already learned in advance of the operations and had closed their shops or moved to new storerooms. After five days of waiting and some more observation, the investigators were able to raid four firms.

In a joint operation with the local policy authorities, TACT India has impounded more than 37,000 counterfeit FAG packaging units and labels, 530 counterfeit FAG rolling bearings and 250 FAG master copies as well as various grinding machines and packaging machines. Moreover, two of the proprietors and an employee were arrested and remanded in custody.