Mumbai: The city crime branch busted a racket allegedly involved in adulterating milk and selling it in counterfeit packets of reputed brands, including Amul and Gokul. Police raided a factory in an industrial area in Vasai in Palghar where counterfeit Amul milk packets were manufactured and arrested four persons.Acting on a tip-off, Unit 12 of crime branch raided premises in Dahisar East on July 9 and found milk packets of reputed brands being allegedly cut open, diluted with dirty water and resealed before being sold to consumers.Police seized around 470 litres of milk worth Rs 29,750, 13,000 counterfeit empty Amul milk bags and plastic material, equipment used for adulterating milk, and four mobile phones worth Rs 10.79 lakh. During the investigation, police identified the alleged main accused and arrested him in Telangana. His interrogation led investigators to a factory at Lakshmi Industrial Estate, Valiv Phata, Vasai East, Palghar, where counterfeit Amul milk bags were allegedly being manufactured.Police seized fake Amul bags and machinery used to manufacture the counterfeit packaging, collectively valued at around ₹10 lakh. The four arrested have been identified as Lingya Ganta (42), Saidul Jingli (33), Yadya Batulla (46) and Ramul Bodopalli (65).Police said the main accused had allegedly been supplying counterfeit milk bags to persons involved in milk adulteration in Mumbai and its suburbs since 2021. Police said the operation helped uncover and dismantle the network involved in manufacturing fake packaging and selling adulterated milk.A case has been registered at Dahisar police station under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Food Safety and Standards Act.
