Police in India’s Odisha state have arrested four people in connection with an alleged operation manufacturing and supplying counterfeit lubricants marketed under the names of established companies.
The Keonjhar police investigation began after authorities received information that traders in Barbil were selling duplicate lubricants, according to the Times of India. During raids on Sept. 2, officers seized suspected counterfeit products from three outlets in the town and registered three cases at Barbil Police Station.
Police formed two special teams to trace the source of the products and identify others involved in the alleged network. Barbil Sub-Divisional Police Officer Debendra Pingua disclosed the arrests at a press conference Monday. Authorities did not disclose the brands involved or the volume and value of products seized.
The case is the latest in a series of reported counterfeit-lubricant busts in India, suggesting that the trade remains a persistent problem across several states. The individual police cases do not provide a basis to quantify the nationwide scale of counterfeit lubricant sales.
In June 2025, police in Jagatpur, in Odisha’s Cuttack district, arrested two people and sealed a unit that allegedly recycled used and burnt engine oil collected from garages. Police said the oil was repackaged under labels of reputed brands and distributed to other districts in the state. The operation also allegedly produced counterfeit shock-absorber oil.
In October, Delhi Police dismantled a lubricant counterfeiting operation in Gokulpuri and arrested its alleged operator. Police said they seized around 4,000 liters of counterfeit oil and equipment for filling, heating, sealing and labeling containers. The operator allegedly purchased low-cost raw oil and packaging materials locally, then sold the products to workshops and retailers at discounted prices. Police estimated that the unit made 8,000 to 10,000 liters per month.
Two months later, police raided a separate facility in Alipur, Delhi, that allegedly manufactured counterfeit Castrol-branded products. The seizure included 239 liters of suspected fake oil, empty bottles, barcode and price stickers, caps, a sealing machine and dye. Castrol representatives accompanied the police raid and authenticated the material, according to news reports.
In January, police and legal-metrology officials in Zirakpur, Punjab, sealed another alleged counterfeit engine-oil unit. Authorities said used oil was chemically treated, colored and repackaged in containers carrying the labels of well-known brands for sale in Punjab and Haryana.
The cases show the recurring methods used by alleged counterfeiters: sourcing low-cost or used oil, refilling containers and reproducing labels, caps, stickers and holograms that make products appear genuine. Such products can expose vehicle owners and industrial users to lubricant performance and equipment-reliability risks.