Gang of Thugs Cheat Textile Traders in Surat

Surat, Gujarat : Textile merchants in Surat, the epicentre of India’s man-made fabric (MMF) industry, have been recently the target of a gang of fraudsters operating from a variety of states, particularly Maharashtra. 

These criminals have successfully deceived numerous traders in a well-organised scheme, resulting in substantial financial losses to the traders in Surat textile industry. The impact of the gang’s modus operandi on Surat’s textile merchants is the subject of this article.

The thugs initiate the scam by contacting textile merchants in Surat via unknown phone numbers. Posing as representatives of reputable brands, they place orders for textile fabrics, even supplying genuine GST numbers of these brands to secure the trust of the traders. Nevertheless, they instruct the traders to deliver the products to addresses that are not affiliated with the brands.

Upon the delivery of the goods, the gang members disable all communication by turning off their phones, thereby preventing the merchants from contacting them or reclaiming their goods.

The Federation of Surat Textile Traders Association (FOSTTA) has received approximately ten complaints from traders who have been the victims of this fraud in the past month. The trading community in Surat has expressed apprehension regarding the rise in fraudulent activities.

‘Malu Traders’ is the moniker of a gang that is particularly noteworthy. Three of the five traders who were contacted dispatched goods without conducting appropriate verification. A trader transported products valued at more than Rs. 2 lakh to Pune, Maharashtra, only to discover that they were fraudulent.

Upon obtaining these complaints, FOSTTA raised the issue with the Commissioner of Police. Balasaheb Sopanrao Padure, a tricycle puller from Pune, was promptly apprehended by the Salabatpura police. The gang’s large profit margins were exposed when they seized products valued at Rs. 1.61 lakh, despite the fact that Padure had purchased them for only Rs. 30,000.

Kailash Hakeem, the President of FOSTTA, has encouraged merchants to conduct a thorough investigation into the authenticity of buyers. He underscored the necessity of exercising caution, particularly when orders are submitted from unknown mobile numbers. Traders are frequently persuaded to ship products without conducting comprehensive inspections due to the relatively low value of the orders, which typically range from Rs. 1-2 lakh. This results in substantial losses.