Over 6,500 Litres Adulterated Ghee Seized After Interstate Racket Busted

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has dismantled a major interstate network allegedly involved in the manufacture and distribution of counterfeit ghee, seizing more than 6,500 litres of suspected adulterated products and raw materials during coordinated raids in Delhi and Haryana.

The action was carried out by the FSSAI Northern Regional Office under the guidance of Director Devesh Kumar Mahla, IPS, in coordination with local police authorities and Central Food Safety Officers (CFSOs).

The investigation began after FSSAI officials noticed digital and print advertisements promoting premium cow ghee and regular ghee without mandatory FSSAI licence details or prescribed labelling information. Suspecting large-scale food adulteration, officials launched a decoy operation, posing as customers and purchasing the products for testing.

Samples were sent to an FSSAI-recognised NABL-accredited laboratory, where analysis revealed that the products failed to meet prescribed ghee standards. According to the findings, the samples contained a mixture of vegetable oils and other non-dairy constituents instead of pure ghee.

Armed with the laboratory report, FSSAI intelligence teams traced the manufacturing, storage and distribution network and conducted simultaneous enforcement operations on June 17 across multiple locations.

In Delhi, officials raided a clandestine facility in Dhulsiras village near Dwarka, allegedly linked to Parit Ram. During the operation, they recovered around 1,020 litres of unidentified oil suspected to be used as raw material for counterfeit ghee and approximately 1,500 litres of suspected adulterated ghee. The entire stock was seized and placed under regulatory custody.

In Haryana, a separate raid at M/S Bala Ji Food Products in Sector 53, Phase V, Sonipat, led to the seizure of more than 4,000 litres of suspected adulterated ghee that had been packaged for market distribution.

FSSAI said a formal complaint has been lodged with the local police and an FIR has been registered against those involved. Statutory samples have been drawn for further analysis, while all seized materials have been secured under regulatory custody.

The food regulator said it will initiate stringent legal action against all individuals and entities found violating the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, reiterating its zero-tolerance policy towards food adulteration and misbranding.

FSSAI also urged consumers to remain vigilant while purchasing food products by checking the FSSAI licence or registration number, manufacturer details, proper labelling, packaging integrity and avoiding products sold at unusually low prices.

The regulator said investigations are continuing to identify additional entities linked to the counterfeit ghee network and appealed to consumers to report suspicious food products or cases of adulteration through the Food Safety Connect mobile application, the FoSCoS Grievance Redressal Portal or by contacting the FSSAI Northern Regional Office.