The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has uncovered an interstate racket that recirculated expired and damaged food items back into the commercial market. In raids conducted at establishments in Bhiwandi town of Thane district, authorities seized illegal food stock valued at over Rs 52 lakh, an official confirmed on Monday.
Raids and seizures
The FDA suspended the food safety licence of a warehouse in Saravali after discovering 1.5 tonnes of unbilled, expired food items worth Rs 1.67 lakh. In a parallel operation, the Nizampura police intercepted an interstate truck carrying 1,200 kg of expired flour and branded products worth Rs 5.18 lakh without any valid invoices, the official said. This followed raids at eight establishments in Bhiwandi that yielded undocumented, expired stock worth Rs 45.74 lakh.
Modus operandi
According to the FDA, the syndicate’s modus operandi involved large e-commerce and logistics firms hiring unauthorised scrap agencies. These agencies fabricated disposal certificates and covertly diverted expired food products to unregistered warehouses. Operators then used chemicals to erase original expiry dates, applied counterfeit manufacturing stickers, and resold the products at discounted rates, the official said.
FDA warning and new norms
FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe has warned that logistics firms violating newly issued stringent disposal norms will face immediate, permanent license cancellation and criminal prosecution. The new norms include mandatory geo-tagged video tracking and separate locked zones for expired goods. The crackdown highlights ongoing efforts to ensure food safety and protect consumers from adulterated or expired products.
