Cops bust 2 fake spice manufacturing units

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, May 5

In a major crackdown on illegal activities, the Delhi crime branch has unearthed a racket involving the manufacturing and distribution of adulterated spices, shedding light on a clandestine operation that posed a serious threat to public health.

The crackdown, spearheaded by the cyber cell, crime branch, Delhi, led to the arrest of two manufacturers and one supplier allegedly involved in producing and peddling spurious spices across Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR).

The operation, planned and executed by a dedicated team under the supervision of Deputy Commissioner of Police Rakesh Paweriya, exposed the modus operandi of the illicit trade. Acting on a tip-off, the team, led by Inspector Virendra Singh, conducted raids in the Karawal Nagar area of North East Delhi, where two large-scale manufacturing units were found operating under the guise of legitimate business.

During the raids, the authorities arrested Dilip Singh alias Bunty and Khursheed Malik, who were allegedly operating the processing units responsible for manufacturing adulterated spices. The confiscated material, including turmeric, garam masala, amchoor and coriander powder, was found to be adulterated with non-edible substances such as rotten rice, coconut, eucalyptus leaves and colour chemicals, among others.

Furthermore, the raid led to the seizure of a substantial quantity of raw material and equipment used in the adulteration process, underscoring the scale of the illicit operation.

The recovered items, totalling over 15 tonnes, included rotten grains, wood dust, citric acid and various other contaminants, along with two large processing units, weighing machines, stretching machines and a tempo used for transportation.

Dilip and Sarfaraj, both unit owners, allegedly resorted to adulteration to bolster profits. Khursheed Malik, the supplier, facilitated the distribution of the adulterated spices in Delhi and neighbouring areas, further compounding the gravity of the situation.

The discovery of this fraudulent enterprise underscores the urgent need for stringent regulatory measures to safeguard public health and consumer rights. The sale of adulterated food products poses a grave risk to unsuspecting consumers, jeopardising their well-being and undermining the integrity of the food industry.

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