Maharashtra FDA seizes 4,002 kg sweets from Mumbai bus, food worth ₹45,000 in nationwide crackdown

Representative image | Photo credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto

The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) seized 4,002 kg of sweets and halwa worth over ₹11 lakh from a luxury bus in Mumbai’s Chembur on November 2 after finding that the food was being transported in unsanitary conditions without temperature control. The seizure was part of a nationwide inspection conducted between November 1 and 3, during which authorities seized food items worth around ₹45,000.

According to an FDA press release issued on Tuesday (November 3), officials intercepted a luxury bus operated by Tania Travels on the Santacruz-Chembur link near Tilak Nagar police station. The consignment, worth ₹11.11 lakh, was seized due to suspected adulteration and potential health risks.

Among the items seized were 2,098 kg of Gopal Sweet Barfi, 598 kg of Nandi Indian Dessert, 538 kg of Shree Bansidhar Sweet Halwa, 448 kg of Shree Gokul Traditional Sweets, 268 kg of Nandi Indian Sweet Halwa and 52 kg of Shree Gokul Halwa.

The operation was conducted jointly by FDA officials and the police. Six samples have been taken for laboratory analysis and further action under the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 will be initiated based on the test results.

During the three-day statewide drive, the FDA also seized banned food products worth ₹11.55 lakh in Konkan and Nashik divisions. Three FIRs were registered, two persons were arrested, two establishments were sealed and two vehicles were seized.

In Nashik division alone, banned food products worth ₹11.08 crore were seized along with a vehicle worth around ₹8 crore. Two FIRs were registered and two people arrested. In the Konkan division, authorities seized banned products worth ₹46,490, sealed the premises and impounded the vehicle.

Separately, inspections targeting suspected substandard, adulterated and unsafe food products led to confiscations worth ₹22.34 lakh across the state. The largest seizure in this category was reported from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar division, where officials seized 5,066 kg of food products and 420 liters of edible oil worth ₹11.30 lakh.

Other seizures included food products worth ₹5.30 in Konkan, ₹3.76 in Pune, ₹1.05 in Amravati, ₹43,200 in Nashik and ₹48,500 in Nagpur. In Pune, seized perishable food items suspected to be unsafe were destroyed at the Dhankawadi municipal waste processing centre.

The FDA also suspended the licenses of five businesses in Yavatmal, Akola, Buldhana and Washim districts. Another establishment in Yavatmal has been issued a cease-and-desist notice until it obtains the required registration certificate.

FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe said inspections will continue to ensure food safety and compliance with hygiene, storage and transportation regulations. Citizens were encouraged to report suspected food adulteration or unsafe products through the FDA’s toll-free helpline, 1800222365, or its online complaint portal.

Published – 03 Nov 2026 11:00 PM IST