Pabna: A joint team of police and customs officials busted a fake cigarette factory in the northern district of Pabna on Thursday night.

They also arrested eight men along with fake cigarettes and cigarette making machines from the factory located at Baghail area of Ishwardi.

The arrested persons were Rafiqul Islam Lablu, Sanjoy Khan, Rakibul Islam, Sohel, Shamim, Barkat Ali, Pintu, and Alam.

Conducted on a tip off, the drive seized fake cigarettes of different popular brands and cigarette making machines worth Tk 1.52 lakh from the factory, said Biman Kumar Dash, officer-in-charge of Ishwardi police.

The OC also said fake cigarettes of brands like Gold Leaf, Benson and Hedges, Star, Sheikh had been being made and marketed by the factory for a long time.

British American Tobacco Company’s investigation officer Ashraful Islam filed a case against the held persons.