Mumbai Authorities Seize And Destroy 4,700 Litres Of Milk During Food Safety Drive

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has uncovered an alleged milk adulteration racket operating in the Mahape MIDC area of Navi Mumbai, with authorities seizing and destroying 4,710 litres of adulterated and suspected milk worth Rs 1,85,780. The action was taken during a series of raids aimed at preventing unsafe dairy products from reaching consumers, officials said in a release issued by the Thane district administration on Monday.

The investigation began after the FDA received confidential information about suspected adulteration activities at M/s P.K. Dairy. Acting on the intelligence, a special FDA squad raided the establishment on August 19. During the operation, officials allegedly caught Shivendra Shyamlal Jaiswal diluting milk inside a tanker using a mixture of skimmed milk powder (SMP) and chilled water. Authorities alleged that the activity was carried out in collusion with dairy owner Pradeep Kamlesh Yadav.

According to the official release, the adulteration process involved mixing one kilogram of skimmed milk powder with between eight and 10 litres of chilled water. The mixture was reportedly introduced into the milk using a plunger before the product was supplied to customers as pure cow or buffalo milk. Officials said the adulterated milk was distributed to several dairies and outlets across areas including Thane, Airoli, Kopri, Digha and Ghansoli.

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The FDA immediately shut down the dairy after finding that it was operating without a valid food safety licence. Officials subsequently carried out further action at multiple establishments linked to the suspected supply network. Across the raided locations, authorities seized and destroyed 4,710 litres of adulterated and suspect milk. The seized milk was valued at Rs 1,85,780, according to the administration, with the destruction carried out as a public health measure.

The enforcement operation also resulted in the seizure of other dairy products. FDA teams confiscated 129.5 kg of paneer, 473 kg of skimmed milk powder and 88.4 kg of cream during the crackdown. The seizure of these products has widened the scope of the investigation, with authorities examining whether the ingredients and dairy products were connected to the alleged adulteration operation or were being handled in violation of food safety requirements.

An FIR was registered at Turbhe police station on August 22 in connection with the case. The complaint names 15 individuals and entities, including the owners of two dairies and several vendor outlets that allegedly received products from the network. Authorities are investigating the roles of the individuals and businesses named in the case as part of efforts to determine how widely the alleged adulteration operation was spread and whether additional establishments were involved.

The FDA has also initiated the process of cancelling the food licences of the establishments implicated in the case. The action reflects an intensified focus by food safety authorities on the production and distribution of adulterated dairy products, which can pose health risks to consumers. By shutting down the unlicensed dairy, destroying the suspected milk and initiating regulatory proceedings against the establishments involved, authorities said they were working to prevent the products from entering the wider market.

The case highlights the challenges faced by regulators in monitoring milk supply chains, particularly where products move rapidly from processing units to local dairies and retail outlets. The investigation will now determine the full extent of the alleged racket, the roles played by the accused individuals and businesses, and whether further action is required against other establishments connected to the supply network.

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