KATHMANDU, Sept 5: The Ministry of Supplies has sealed four shops selling branded items in Durbar Marg, Kathmandu, on Monday. Issuing a statement, the ministry said an inspection team led by the Minister for Supplies Shiva Kumar Mandal found the shops conning consumers. 

According to the statement, Store One, Bentley, Puma and NIKE stores have been sealed as they were found to be selling products at exorbitant prices. Moreover, the shops were found to be selling without bills, the statement added. 

The government team found the NIKE store charging Rs 26,990 for shoes whose actual price was Rs 4,700 and Rs 26,000 for shoes whose actual price was Rs 2,600. In the North Face store, a product sold at Rs 13,000 was found to be billed for Rs 4,000. 

The minister has directed the shop operators to present themselves in the ministry within three days with all the documents of shop. 

"Such market frauds will be taken under control," Minister Mandal said: "Innocent shop operators will not have to worry. We will take action only against those who are deceiving consumers." 

The minister expressed commitment to control black marketing and end monopoly of traders.
Along with the shops at Durbar Marg, the inspection team also inspected shops at City Center in Kamalpokhari, North Face store of Thamel, and Bhat-Bhateni Superstore of Naxal. 

According to the act related to black marketing, no shop-owner can keep a profit margin of more than 20 percent. Kumar Dahal, director general of Department of Supply Management and Protection of Consumers' Interest, said that action would be taken against those shops that have flouted the law.

 
• supplies ministry
 
• shoes stores
 
• bentley