Police raid reveals extensive spice adulteration operation
NEW DELHI: Delhi Police’s Crime Branch has uncovered a large-scale operation involving the production and distribution of adulterated spices in North-East Delhi’s Karawal Nagar, resulting in the arrest of three men and the seizure of two manufacturing units.
The police were tipped about the factories through an anonymous source at the Crime Branch of the Delhi Police.
The arrested accused were identified as Dilip Singh alias Bunty (46), a resident of Dayalpur Main Road Karawal Nagar, Delhi, Sarfaraj (32), a resident of Mustafabad, Delhi, and Khurseed Malik (42), a resident of Loni, Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh.
According to the Police, the accused were reportedly producing contaminated spices that included non-edible and harmful substances like acids and chemicals.
The raid was led by Inspector Virendra Singh of the Delhi Police’s Cyber Cell and the Crime Branch of the Delhi Police, discovered a total of 15 tonnes of tainted spices and raw materials.
The seized items included turmeric, garam masala, amchoor (dry mango) powder, and coriander powder.
Authorities found that these spices were made using inedible components such as rotten grains, eucalyptus leaves, wood dust, and various chemicals.
The police action followed surveillance by the Cyber Cell after receiving tips about the ongoing illegal activities.
The manufacturing units were raided on Wednesday, where the police apprehended the accused who initially attempted to flee the scene.
The Food Safety Department was promptly alerted and took samples of the adulterated products for further analysis.
The criminal operation reportedly involved selling the fake spices under various brand names across Delhi and the surrounding National Capital Region (NCR), cheating customers, and endangering public health.
The investigation revealed that these activities had been ongoing since November 2023.
Authorities have registered a case under relevant sections of the law, and the accused have been taken into custody.
