In yet another instance which exposes the illegal ferrying of edible ingredients into the city by private public transport operators from adjoining states, the Mira Bhayandar-Vasai Virar (MBVV) police seized more than 567 kilograms of “adulterated” mawa (a dairy product used for preparing a variety of sweets) from a private luxury bus in Kashigaon on Tuesday.

The bus which was about to enter Mumbai from the direction of Gujarat was intercepted by a team led by senior police inspector-Rahul Patil at the entry point of the fly-over-bride (FOB) on the highway near Laxmi Baug in Kashimira. Upon inspection the team found 20 unbranded gunny sacks stashed with loose mawa in the language space of the bus. Soon after the recovery, the police contacted officials from the Thane unit of the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA).

FDA Team Collects Mawa Samples For Lab Tests

A team from the FDA comprising assistant commissioner-Dhanashree Dahane, Food Safety Officers (FSO)-Manek Jadhav and Bharat Vesave reached the spot and collected samples of the mawa for lab tests. The remaining consignment was destroyed by the police team. “Prima facie it appears that the mawa is adulterated as it was packed in unlabelled bags without any details about its manufacturing date and expiry status. 

Authorities Await Lab Reports Amid Concerns Over Substandard Products During Festivals and Elections

However, we are awaiting lab test reports following which appropriate action will be taken against the supplier and the potential buyers.” said Vesave. The use of substandard products peaks during the festival season, however the demand for all sorts of sweets and other food ingredients also grows considerably before elections. The Kashigaon police, which has intensified patrolling in the region due to the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections, are conducting further investigations into the case.