FDA busts food label tampering racket in Navi Mumbai, seizes stock worth over Rs 76 lakh

The Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) has busted an alleged food packaging racket in Navi Mumbai in which manufacturing and expiry dates of food products were being changed, officials said on Tuesday.

The operation was carried out jointly by the FDA and the Navi Mumbai Police Crime Branch between August 24 and 29 at M/s Sadhna Enterprises in the Turbhe area.

According to the FDA, the establishment was found storing and repacking food products and tampering with labels. The products were linked to 10 prominent exporter companies based in Mumbai, New Delhi and Noida.

Officials said the racket involved removing the original manufacturing and expiry dates from the packaging and printing fresh dates. New stickers were also allegedly placed over the original ingredient and nutritional information on the products.

The seized stock included snacks, beverages and instant food items. These included wafers and potato chips, noodles, soup, mayonnaise packets and cans of aerated drinks, the FDA said.

A total of 4,942 cartons of food products valued at Rs 75,21,269 were seized during the operation. Officials also confiscated unlabeled and expired food products worth Rs 1,30,600.

Samples of some products were collected for further examination. The FDA said certain products were also found to be without the required FSSAI licences and purchase bills.

Following the raid, the food licence of the establishment was suspended with immediate effect.

An FIR has been registered at Turbhe police station against the partners of the establishment and associated exporters under provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

The authorities are continuing their investigation into the source of the products and the alleged tampering of labels.

The FDA said strict action would be taken against those involved in storing, repacking or selling expired and tampered food products.