Cyber Cell busts ₹4.3 Cr expired food racket 7 Arrested for Tampering Global Baby Food, Chocolates in Delhi Stores.
In a major crackdown, Delhi Police raided warehouses in north Delhi’s Azadpur and Sadar Bazaar areas last week, uncovering a sophisticated racket that sold expired imported food products in upscale stores.
The fraudsters tampered with labels, expiry dates, and even affixed fake holograms to repackage items like chocolates, biscuits, energy bars, and gourmet cheeses from popular brands sourced from the UK, US, and Dubai.
Authorities seized over 5,000 packets valued at more than ₹25 lakh, with many products two to six months past their shelf life. Five individuals-two warehouse owners, a supplier from Dubai, and two retailers-were arrested under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code for cheating and food adulteration.
The operation targeted premium outlets in areas like Greater Kailash and Defence Colony, where affluent shoppers seek global luxury foods.
A senior Delhi Police officer told reporters, “This is not legal dumping by foreign countries but a brazen local criminal network exploiting gaps in retail inspections and port clearances. We recovered tools for tampering, including date-stamping machines and counterfeit stickers.”
Another official from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), which assisted in the raids, added, “Consumers face real dangers like bacterial contamination and allergic reactions; always verify holograms and batch codes.”
The human cost emerged through witness accounts: a local mother reported her child fell ill after consuming a suspect chocolate bar bought from a high-end mall, prompting the initial tip-off.
This highlights how such fraud preys on trust in branded imports amid India’s booming ₹50,000 crore imported food market.
Supply Chain Flaws Fuel the Fraud
The racket operated by procuring near-expiry or expired goods cheaply through grey-market channels at international ports, then doctoring them for resale at full price-often 30-50% markups.
Investigations revealed links to informal importers bypassing FSSAI’s mandatory testing labs, with goods entering via Nhava Sheva and Chennai ports without proper documentation.
Delhi Police’s Crime Branch, acting on intelligence from market informants, conducted surveillance for two weeks before striking. Recovered records showed monthly sales of 10,000 units across 20 stores, netting fraudsters ₹10-15 lakh in illicit profits.
“Retailers ignored basic due diligence, prioritising profits over safety,” the police officer noted, pointing to absent batch traceability.
This bust aligns with rising consumer complaints: FSSAI logged 1,200 cases of mislabelled imports in Delhi alone last year, up 25% from 2023.
Health experts warn that expired dry goods may harbour mycotoxins, leading to long-term issues like liver damage, especially in children and the elderly.
Broader Context: Recurring Risks in India’s Food Imports
India’s appetite for imported foods has surged 15% annually since 2020, driven by urban millennials and NRIs, yet regulatory loopholes persist.
Similar rackets surfaced in Mumbai last month, where 2,000 kg of fake US cereals were seized, and Bengaluru reported tampered UK sweets in 2024.
The incident follows FSSAI’s 2024 amendments mandating real-time digital tracking via the FoSCoS portal, but enforcement lags due to understaffed labs-only 72 operational nationwide against a need for 200.
A 2023 parliamentary panel flagged “inadequate vigilance at borders,” recommending AI-driven scanners, which remain pilots in select ports.
Post-raid, police sealed implicated stores, and FSSAI suspended licences of three retailers. No deaths are linked yet, but the Delhi government announced spot-check drives in 500 outlets.
Globally, the EU fined similar UK exporters ₹50 crore last year for lax supply chains, underscoring the need for bilateral pacts.
Consumers like Priya Sharma, a Delhi homemaker, shared on social media: “We pay premium for ‘authentic’ imports, only to risk our families. When will checks match the hype?”
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
This scandal exposes deep cracks in our food safety net, eroding trust in everyday choices and endangering lives for profit.
At The Logical Indian, we stand for peace, dialogue, kindness, empathy, harmony, and coexistence by calling on authorities to enforce rigorous checks, retailers to prioritise ethics, and citizens to stay vigilant-fostering a united front for safer markets.
