Crawford shopkeepers seek help after raids by fake cops

MUMBAI: Crawford Market shopkeepers have approached the police for help against extortion by fake anti-piracy activists. The shopowners, who have been duped by such “activists”, want the police to lay down a standard operating procedure for raids.
The shopkeepers, most selling cosmetic products, approached the police after some persons claiming to be activists, accompanied by fake policemen allegedly from Nanded, extorted nearly Rs 15 lakh from them on December 25.
“The activists and the cops raided 10-12 shops and took away 15 lakh and some cosmetic products,” said Dinesh Choudhary. Shopkeepers said their business has taken a hit thanks to a handful traders who sell duplicate products.
On December 25, nearly 11 persons, including two men in police uniform, arrived at the market and started checking products at the shops. “Whenever activists come, they are accompanied by the local police and have an authorization letter, but these people carried nothing,” said Mazhar Shaikh, who suffered a Rs 2 lakh loss in the “raid” on his two shops. The accused then proceeded to a shop belonging to one Sohail Akhtar. “Fearing harassment, Akhtar ran away. He thought if no one is at the shop, the group would go away, but an accused took away Rs 60,000 from the cash drawer,” said a shopowner.
The men then went to Choudhary’s shop. “They asked me to accompany them to their vehicle outside, where a man in police uniform sought Rs 5 lakh or face arerst inNanded,” said Choudhary. After bargaining, the amount was brought down to Rs 2 lakh.
The shopkeepers later learnt that the same people had raided some shops near Masjid Bunder too, but had not lodged a single piracy case,” said Zubair Shaikh. Shopkeepers have forwarded the CCTV footage of the “raid” to the city crime branch. Additional commissioner (south region) Krishna Prakash said, “I will look into the matter.”