Fake food manufacturing racket busted, 4 arrested

Delhi Police has busted a major racket involved in manufacturing and selling fake ENO powder and counterfeit Nescafé coffee, arresting four people and seizing goods worth around Rs 20 lakh from Madhu Vihar in east Delhi, officials said on Tuesday.

The operation was carried out by the Crime Branch, which uncovered two illegal units operating from rented flats. Police said the accused were producing and packaging spurious products for supply across different parts of the country, posing a serious risk to public health.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Rahool Alwal said the racket was part of an organised network involved in manufacturing and distributing fake consumer goods.

“The accused were engaged in large-scale production and supply of counterfeit products that could endanger consumers,” he said. The arrested accused have been identified as Uttam Das (23) and Papai Das Baragya alias Pankaj (19), both residents of Shastri Nagar, Nitin Bhardwaj (38) from Geeta Colony, and Sanjay Bansal (50) from Tri Nagar.

Police said the raid was conducted after receiving specific inputs about illegal manufacturing activities. A police team from the Cyber Cell and Southern Range raided the premises and found the units actively producing fake ENO sachets and coffee products.

During the search, police recovered nearly 1 lakh sachets of fake ENO and around 50,000 sachets of counterfeit coffee ready for distribution.

Large quantities of raw materials, including about 500 kg of coffee powder and acid drums used in making ENO, were also seized.

Officials also recovered machinery and packaging equipment, including filling machines, sealing tools, foil rolls, stickers, and cartons. More than 550 empty bottles and large stocks of branded packaging materials were found at the site.

During questioning, Uttam Das and Papai revealed that the operation had been running for about two months under the direction of Nitin Bhardwaj. He was later traced through technical surveillance and arrested in Dehradun, Uttarakhand. Further investigation led police to Sanjay Bansal, who was allegedly linked to the supply chain.

He was arrested near Kashmere Gate while trying to leave the city. Police said the accused were repackaging the fake products using branded labels to pass them off as genuine items. The goods were then supplied through wholesale and retail channels. Representatives from the companies whose brands were misused confirmed that the seized products were counterfeit.

They told police that the items were not manufactured or authorised by them and that the accused had no legal permission to produce or sell such goods.

A case has been registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including charges related to cheating, sale of harmful products, and criminal conspiracy. Police said the offences are serious, as they involve public health risks.

Officials added that the racket highlights how counterfeit goods are entering the market and misleading consumers. Such products may contain unsafe ingredients and can cause health problems. Police are now working to identify the entire network, including suppliers of raw materials and distribution channels. Efforts are also being made to trace other possible members involved in the operation.

Further investigation is underway to dismantle the complete supply chain and prevent the circulation of fake products in the market, officials said.