Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Brahmagiri, Dec21:

With mercury dipping in Odisha thousands of tourists have thronged Chilika Lake, the brackish water lagoon, following which fake-pearl rackets have reportedly extended their network in the area.

faux-pearl

According to reports, faux-pearl trading has gripped Brahmagiri sea coast area with a trade of about Rs 2 to 3 lakh every day defaming the international tourist hub.

The mafias are selling faux pearl by placing plastic marble ball inside shells of oyster and putting it in water bowl cheating tourists.

The duplicate gem is reportedly being sold at Rs 5,000 to 50,000 per piece whose market value is Rs 50 per kg.

The cheating has been reported with police by many abroad tourists before and the Tourism department too had filed a complaint regarding it at Brahmagiri police station.

However, a home guard was attacked and critically injured by the mafias and police had arrested two in this connection and forwarded to court, but no significant result has been found yet in curbing the menace.