Srinagar, Feb. 4 -- "In response to growing complaints from buyers and tourists about the sale of machine-made carpets from outside the region being falsely marketed as authentic Kashmiri handmade carpets, the Handicrafts and Handloom Department, Kashmir, has further intensified its crackdown on unscrupulous carpet sellers," an official spokesman said.

The spokesman said that several counterfeit products were confiscated and stern warnings were issued to errant dealers to ensure compliance with quality control standards.

This action follows recent reports in local dailies highlighting the influx of machine-made Turkish and Iranian carpets being sold under the guise of genuine Kashmiri hand-knotted carpets.

"The enforcement wing of the ...