Law enforcement and food safety authorities in Rajasthan's Deeg district have dismantled an extensive illicit network manufacturing spurious cottage cheese. During coordinated raids at two separate locations within the Kaithwada police station limits, a combined squad comprising local police personnel, the District Special Team (DST), and food safety inspectors seized and disposed of approximately 1800 kilograms of suspected synthetic paneer before it could reach retail consumers.
Interstate Distribution Spanning Four Key States
The anti-adulteration operation, supervised by Superintendent of Police Deeg Sharan Gopinath on October 23, uncovered systematic production units operating with minimal regulatory oversight. Investigators discovered that operators were fashioning artificial paneer by blending refined palmolein oil, soybean cooking oil, and SMP powder rather than utilizing pure animal milk. The manufactured stock was destined for transit and wholesale distribution across retail hubs in Haryana, Delhi, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh. Food safety officials secured statutory samples for chemical analysis, and lab outcomes are awaited.
Raid at Jajamka Village Uncovers Major Processing Center
The initial raid occurred in Jajamka village inside a residential property owned by Sharif, where a dairy unit was being run under the management of Maqsood. Acting on intelligence inputs from an informer, the joint enforcement squad entered the premises while active manufacturing and product packaging were underway. Spotting the arrival of authorities, 4 to 5 workers fled the facility, and search teams are tracing their movements.
Officers detained Sahil, son of Islam and resident of Garhi Jheelpatti, who stated during initial interrogation that he handled accounts as a clerk while Maqsood owned the plant. Officials established that the batch relied on vegetable oils and powdered compounds. The food safety inspector gathered evidence samples, and the squad subsequently eliminated approximately 1600 kilograms of spurious paneer at the site, followed by Sahil's formal arrest.
Second Raid Recovers 200 Kilograms of Counterfeit Dairy Stock
In a parallel strike on the second facility, another clerk identified as Alijan was interrogated. He acknowledged that their unit similarly utilized SMP powder alongside soybean and palmolein oils to manufacture imitation dairy goods. Enforcement personnel impounded roughly 200 kilograms of product alongside a pickup utility vehicle registered as RJ 05 GC 1551. An inspector completed mandatory sampling procedures before the remaining 200 kilograms of counterfeit inventory was destroyed on location.
Chemical Supplies Seized and Manufacturing Facilities Sealed
In total, authorities recovered 18 sacks of SMP powder, 3 sacks of specialized machine cleaning powder, 11 tins of refined palmolein oil, and 2 containers of soybean oil across both sites. Food safety officials proceeded to seal both illegal facilities to prevent further operations.
Police registered two separate criminal cases under sections 318(4), 272, 274, and 110 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, alongside section 48 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. Investigative units are continuing pursuit of the dairy operators, escaped staff members, and associated distribution intermediaries.
