Spices In Your Kitchen May Not Be What You Think; Delhi Police Busts Massive ‘Masala Racket’

As the debate is gaining pace around the presence of pesticides in the spices that are being used daily in kitchens across India, Delhi Police has busted a fake spice racket seizing over 15 tonnes of adultered spices being manufactured at two factories in the national capital’s Karawal Nagar. The police also arrested three people in connection with the case – Dilip Singh (46), Sarfaraj (32) and Khurseed Malik (42). The crime branch of Delhi Police has raided two factories in Karawal Nagar, seizing adulterated rice, wood powder, and chemicals used to prepare spices, and apprehended three accused including two owners.

The factory was supplying adulterated spices to not only Delhi but also the local markets of the National capital region including Noida, Ghaziabad and Gururam. In order to avoid suspicion, they kept the prices the same as the original products.

According to reports, Rakesh Paweriya, DCP (crime branch) said that the seizure included rotten rice, leaves, spoiled millets, wood dust, chilli heads, acids and oils used in producing counterfeit products.

During the raid, Singh and Sarfaraj tried to flee but were apprehended. During interrogation, Singh admitted to owning the manufacturing unit, while Malik confessed to supplying the adulterated spices. Subsequent investigations revealed another processing unit on Kali Khata Road, Karawal Nagar, where Sarfaraj was apprehended for manufacturing adulterated spices.

The fake racked was not only producing adultered spices but was also playing with the health of the people while cheating the original brands. It was found during the investigation that the duo had set up the factory in 2021 to make more profits by selling fake spices which have low manufacturing costs.