A major food safety scandal has shaken Gujarat after police uncovered a large-scale milk adulteration racket operating for nearly five years across Sabarkantha and Mehsana districts. On February 6, the Sabarkantha Local Crime Branch (LCB), acting on specific intelligence, raided a manufacturing unit named Shree Satya Dairy Products near Salal village in Prantij taluka.
Investigators found that the unit had been producing fake milk and buttermilk by mixing small quantities of real milk with water, detergent powder, urea fertiliser, caustic soda, refined palmolein oil and soybean oil chemicals that pose serious health risks.
Four adult workers were arrested and a juvenile detained, while the factory owner remains absconding. Officials seized adulterated products and raw materials worth approximately ₹71 lakh and destroyed over 1,300 litres of unsafe milk on the spot. A criminal case has been registered under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, as authorities continue to trace the full extent of distribution and public health impact.
Toxic Trade Thriving in Plain Sight
The raid exposed an alarming operation that thrived on deception and disregard for consumer health. According to police officials, the factory used just 300 litres of genuine milk every day but manufactured nearly 1,700 to 1,800 litres of counterfeit milk by blending it with harmful substances.
A senior officer involved in the investigation explained, “Using 300 litres of real milk, the accused used to produce up to 1,800 litres daily by mixing various chemicals. The milk was packed in pouches and supplied to nearby villages.” Authorities said the adulterants were added to artificially increase the thickness, foam and apparent protein content of the liquid so that it looked like regular milk to unsuspecting buyers.
During the operation, police seized 1,962 litres of adulterated milk, 1,180 litres of fake buttermilk and huge quantities of hazardous materials including 450 kg whey powder, 625 kg skimmed milk powder, 300 kg premium SMP powder, urea fertiliser, caustic soda, detergent powder and edible oils.
Food safety officials present at the scene confirmed that over 1,370 litres of unsafe milk were destroyed immediately to prevent further circulation. The sheer scale of the seized items indicates that the operation had been running as a well-organised business supplying daily essentials to rural households for years.
Coordinated Investigation and Legal Action
The crackdown was the result of coordinated action by the Sabarkantha LCB, the Forensic Science Laboratory and the state Food and Drugs Department after receiving credible information about suspicious activities at the facility. When officials arrived at the unit, they reportedly found sophisticated arrangements for mixing, storing and packaging adulterated milk products, revealing how methodically the racket had been functioning.
The factory was sealed on the spot and all equipment was taken into custody as evidence. Police arrested four individuals identified as plant operator Jitendra Patel and employees Sachin Makwana, Karan Parmar and Ajaysinh Parmar, while a juvenile worker involved in the operation was detained in accordance with legal procedures.
However, the alleged mastermind of the enterprise, Rakesh alias Dhamo Patel, a resident of Salal currently living in Himmatnagar, remains at large. Authorities have launched an extensive search operation to apprehend him and investigate whether similar units are operating elsewhere in the region.
A case has been registered at Prantij police station under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. Investigators are also examining distribution channels to determine how many villages and families were affected. The revelations have sparked anger and disbelief among local residents, many of whom fear that they may have unknowingly consumed contaminated products for years.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
This disturbing episode goes far beyond a routine crime story it is a stark reminder of how greed can endanger the most basic necessities of life. Milk is one of the most widely consumed food items in India, especially by children and the elderly, and contaminating it with toxic chemicals is nothing short of a betrayal of public trust.
The fact that such a racket could allegedly operate for half a decade without detection exposes troubling gaps in food safety monitoring, inspection systems and regulatory enforcement. Stronger mechanisms are urgently needed to ensure regular quality checks, stricter licensing norms and swift punitive action against offenders.
