Delhi Police Crime Branch busted a major racket selling expired imported food as fresh after altering expiry dates and barcodes. Food worth Rs 4.3 crore was seized from Sadar Bazar, and seven people were arrested.
In a major crackdown that has raised serious food safety concerns, the Delhi Police Crime Branch has uncovered a well-organised racket that was importing expired food items from abroad, changing their expiry dates, and selling them as fresh products in Indian markets. The operation led to massive seizures and multiple arrests in the capital.
How the racket was uncovered
The Crime Branch acted on a specific tip-off about suspicious storage and sale of food items in Sadar Bazar, one of Delhi's biggest wholesale markets. Raids were carried out at locations in Pahari Dheeraj and Faiz Ganj, areas known for large godowns dealing in bulk food supplies, according to a report by The Times of India.
During the raids, police found huge quantities of expired food items that had been repackaged to look fresh. Officials from the Delhi government’s Food Safety Department were immediately called to the spot. Samples were collected and the entire stock was seized for further examination.
What was seized during the raid
Police recovered expired food products worth around Rs 4.3 crore. The seized stock included 43,762 kilograms of food items and 14,665 litres of beverages.
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Among the items recovered were chocolates, biscuits, wafers, candies and chips weighing 6,047 kilograms. Large quantities of sauces, ketchup, vinegar and mayonnaise weighing 23,050 kilograms were also found. In addition, nearly 14,000 litres of expired cold drinks were seized.
According to investigators, all these products had crossed their expiry dates but were being prepared for resale.
How the accused altered expiry dates
Visuals from the raid showed machines being used inside the premises to erase original manufacturing and expiry dates. New dates were printed on the packaging, and fake barcodes were added to make the products appear genuine.
Police said this process allowed the accused to pass off expired international food brands as fresh goods in wholesale markets, putting thousands of consumers at risk.
Arrests and key accused named
Seven people were arrested during the operation. The alleged mastermind has been identified as Atal Jaiswal (54), who also owned the godown where the expired items were stored and repackaged.
The other accused are Shiv Kumar (40), Bishwajit Dhara (25), Vinod (43), Arun Kumar (30), Vijay Kant (50), and Shamim (30), the TOI report added.
International supply chain revealed
Investigators revealed that Jaiswal allegedly sourced near-expiry and expired food products at cheap rates through Mumbai-based agents. These agents reportedly procured the goods from countries such as the United Kingdom, the United States, and Dubai.
Once brought into India, the products were altered and supplied to markets across the Delhi-NCR region and possibly beyond.
Public health risk and investigation ahead
Delhi Police said the seized items posed a serious threat to public health, especially since some included baby products, groceries and beverages meant for daily consumption.
Further investigation is underway to identify suppliers, transporters and distribution networks linked to the racket. Police are also examining how long the operation had been running and how widely the products were sold.
