Administrative scrutiny against food adulteration continues to intensify across the capital of Maharashtra. In a fresh crackdown, authorities have uncovered a disturbing racket in the Dahisar neighborhood of Mumbai where public health was being compromised on a daily basis. Unit-12 of the local crime branch successfully apprehended four individuals operating an elaborate counterfeit enterprise. This syndicate was systematically replacing pure dairy products with contaminated water and distributing it to unsuspecting households under trusted brand labels.
The Deceptive Adulteration Method
Themodus operandi uncovered during the investigation proved to be exceptionally startling. The perpetrators routinely procured authentic packets of well-known dairy labels such as Amul Gold, Amul Taaza, and Gokul. These containers were carefully sliced open to extract the original contents. Subsequently, the empty pouches were replenished with unhygienic water before being resealed with professional precision. To the average consumer, these tampered items were completely indistinguishable from genuine products, and they were primed for retail distribution as certified dairy goods.
Mastermind Arrested and Factory Raided
By connecting successive investigative leads, law enforcement successfully tracked down and arrested the primary mastermind from Telangana. Acting on his disclosure, a police team executed a raid at Babubhai Shahani Compound near Laxmi Industrial Estate in Waliv Phata, Vasai East, located in Palghar. The search revealed an active clandestine facility dedicated to manufacturing counterfeit milk pouches bearing prominent brand insignia. Authorities confiscated extensive machinery and production equipment valued at approximately 10 lakh rupees from the site. This follows an earlier operation where the Mumbai Police Crime Branch apprehended two individuals involved in similar adulteration activities within the Goregaon precinct.
Inventory of Seized Assets and Materials
During the execution of the raid, investigators secured numerous vital pieces of evidence and operational gear
- Approximately 470 liters of adulterated Amul and Gokul milk valued around ₹29,750.
- Roughly 13,000 counterfeit empty milk pouches and plastic raw materials bearing the Amul trademark.
- Specialized instruments utilized for mixing contaminants into dairy products.
- Heavy manufacturing machinery and related production gear worth nearly ₹10,00,000.
- Four mobile communication devices recovered from the four suspects, valued at approximately ₹40,000.
- The cumulative estimated value of all seized articles stands at approximately ₹10,79,750.
Unraveling the Broader Distribution Network
Further inquiry revealed that the prime accused had been actively supplying counterfeit packaging materials designated for milk adulteration across Mumbai and its adjoining suburban sectors since the year 2021. Crime branch operatives have successfully mapped the entire chain ranging from the initial adulteration process to retail packaging and distribution channels. Comprehensive legal proceedings and follow-up investigations remain ongoing to ascertain the full extent of this illicit enterprise.
