June 14: Police swooped down on a warehouse near Amco Road in Dhubri town on Tuesday night and confiscated 245 bags of adulterated cement.

The raid party, led by Zakir Ahmed of the Bazar police outpost, also seized stitching machines, plastic bags and other materials used for packaging.

Three labourers — Ramjan Ali, Ali Hussain and Rafiqul Islam — were arrested.

The ownership of the warehouse changed hands only a few days ago. When the new owner, Hamid Pramanik, decided to lease out the property, the prime accused jumped at the offer.

After obtaining the lease, Mukul Ahmed started packaging adulterated cement there.

He is absconding.

“I am unable to divulge details as an investigation is on. But let me assure you that the culprits will be severely dealt with and no one will be able to hoodwink the police,” Zakir Ahmed said.

Sand particles are mixed with cement by unscrupulous traders to make adulterated cement.

An authorised dealer said a particular brand of cement manufactured in Bhutan costs much less than cement available in Lower Assam districts and adulterators make bulk purchases of this brand in the wholesale market.

They do not usually sell the spurious cement openly for fear of being found out by authorised dealers.