In India, concerns about damaged food products have existed for a long time, eroding public trust. In a recent case, Delhi Police tracked a major racket involved in selling expired imported food items. The operation revealed how global brands’ products past their expiry were repackaged and sold as fresh across India. Scroll down to know more.
Delhi Police Seized Expired Imported Food Products
Recently, one of the major topics in India has been the expired imported food products. The Crime Branch of Delhi Police seized expired food items worth nearly ₹4.3 crore during raids in central Delhi. The seized stock included 43,762 kg of food products, 14,665 litres of beverages, over 6,000 kg of biscuits, candies and wafers, and more than 23,000 kg of sauces, vinegars and condiments. Many of these items were already unfit for consumption by the time they reached India.
Police told The Indian Express that the accused imported food products from countries such as the UK, the US and Dubai. Many of these items were already expired or close to their expiry date. They were brought in at very low prices through Mumbai-based wholesalers and later sold in India by falsely presenting them as fresh and safe to consume.
The expired products belonged to well-known brands such as Oreo, Lipton, Ritz, Kellogg’s, Fanta, Starbucks, Nescafé, Heinz, Hellmann’s, Kikkoman, Kewpie, Lindt, Nutella, Cadbury, Pringles and Lays. Some of the seized items included baby food, raising serious public health concerns.
How Did Racket Sell These Items?
The accused changed manufacturing and expiry dates, replaced labels, added fake barcodes and batch numbers, and repackaged the products to make them appear newly imported. Police recovered machines used for printing dates, sealing packets and pasting labels. This confirmed the presence of an illegal repackaging unit.
According to The Indian Express, police said the fake products were supplied to high-end grocery stores and retail chains, including Modern Bazaar, Nature’s Basket and Food Story. The group also sold these items through e-commerce platforms and major malls across the country.
How Delhi Police Tracked The Racket?
The Cyber Cell of the Crime Branch led the operation after receiving tip-offs. Teams conducted raids in the Pahari Dheeraj and Faiz Ganj areas of Sadar Bazar, a major wholesale market in Delhi. Officials from the Delhi government’s Food Safety department collected samples and seized the consignments as per protocol.
Police identified Atal Jaiswal aged 54, as the mastermind behind the operation. Seven people have been arrested so far from Delhi, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand.
So, next time when you’re buying a product from stores, make sure you check the packaging properly and compare it.
Also Read: FSSAI Cracks Down On Fake ORS Drinks; Orders Instant Pullout From Shops &; Online Platforms
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