Maharashtra's Food And Drugs Administration (FDA) led by Tukaram Mundhe announced on Wednesday that it had undertaken raids and seized food stock worth a total of Rs 16.21 lakh, according to a press release.
This consisted of raids in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Amravati Divisions regarding restricted food items such as gutkha worth Rs 5.97 lakh. Across the state it had confiscated milk stock and dairy products worth Rs 6.5 lakh. It also seized Indian sweets and snacks worth Rs 3.86 lakh.
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A majority of these raids took place on Sept. 15 with one milk seizure worth Rs 1.05 lakh taking place on Sept. 16, another raid took place on Sept. 13 where dairy products worth Rs 52,840 were confiscated.
The release also stated that Bombay High Court ruled in the FDA's favour regarding its suspension of Udupi Swad Restaurant's licence on the grounds of the eatery selling a ‘cheese analogue' to customers while calling it paneer.
"As per the report of the government laboratory, the paneer was found to contain foreign fat instead of dairy-based ingredients, and the sample was accordingly declared “Unsafe” under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006," the release said.
"In view of the potential risk this posed to citizens' health, the Assistant Commissioner and Designated Officer, Thane, had ordered the immediate suspension of the establishment's food licence," it added.
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The FDA arrested a total of three people with regards to the storage of prohibited food stock.
It arrested two people in relation to the seizure of prohibited food stock (consisting of gutkha, pan masala, scented tobacco and more) worth Rs 2,74,050 in the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Division. Along with one vehicle worth Rs 3,00,000 used for transportation — taking the total value of material seized to Rs 5,74,050.
The enforcement agency also arrested an individual in the Amravati divsion for prohibited food stock worth Rs 23,200.
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