4,002 kg of sweets seized from luxury bus in Mumbai

The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has seized 4,002 kg of sweets and halwa from a luxury bus in Mumbai's Chembur area. The value of these food items is estimated to be over ₹11 lakh. The action was taken after it was found that the food items were being transported in unhygienic conditions, without temperature control and by untrained personnel.

According to a report by The Hindu, a state-wide inspection drive was conducted from November 1 to 3, during which authorities seized food items worth approximately ₹45 lakh. In Mumbai, on November 2, a luxury bus operated by Tania Travels was intercepted and searched on the Santacruz-Chembur Link Road near the Tilak Nagar Police Station. The consignment, valued at ₹11.11 lakh, was seized due to suspected adulteration and potential health risks.

The seized sweets include 2,098 kg of Gopal Sweet Barfi, 598 kg of Nandi Indian Dessert, 538 kg of Shri Bansidhar Sweet Halwa, 448 kg of Shri Gokul Traditional Sweets, 268 kg of Nandi Indian Sweet Halwa, and 52 kg of Shri Gokul Halwa. The operation was carried out jointly by FDA officials and the police. Six samples have been taken for laboratory analysis, and further action will be taken under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, based on the test results.

During this three-day state-wide drive, banned food products worth ₹11.55 lakh were also seized in the Konkan and Nashik divisions. This action resulted in the registration of three FIRs, the arrest of two individuals, the sealing of two establishments, and the seizure of two vehicles. In the Nashik division alone, banned food products worth ₹11.08 lakh and a vehicle valued at approximately ₹8 lakh were seized, with two FIRs filed and two arrests made. In the Konkan division, authorities seized banned products worth ₹46,490, sealed one establishment, and seized one vehicle.

In other investigations targeting substandard and unsafe food products, quantities worth ₹22.34 lakh were seized across the state. The largest seizure in this category was recorded from the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar division, where officials seized 5,066 kg of food items and 420 litres of edible oil worth ₹11.30 lakh. Other seizures include food items worth ₹5.30 lakh in Konkan, ₹3.76 lakh in Pune, ₹1.05 lakh in Amravati, ₹43,200 in Nashik, and ₹48,500 in Nagpur. In Pune, perishable food items suspected of being unsafe were destroyed at the Municipal Waste Processing Centre in Dhankawadi.

The FDA has suspended the licenses of five establishments in Yavatmal, Akola, Buldhana, and Washim districts. Another establishment in Yavatmal has been issued a notice to resume operations only after obtaining the necessary registration certificate. FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe stated that inspections will continue to ensure compliance with food safety, hygiene, storage, and transport regulations. Citizens are requested to report suspected food adulteration or unsafe products via the FDA's toll-free helpline 1800222365 or through their online complaint portal.

The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration is the agency responsible for monitoring the quality and safety of food items in the state. It conducts regular inspections and enforcement to ensure that food product standards are maintained.