Surat: Surat Rural police on Wednesday busted a fake ghee manufacturing unit operating from a warehouse in Kamrej taluka, with the Local Crime Branch (LCB) seizing raw materials and machinery worth nearly Rs 3 lakh.

The raid was carried out at Araydhya Marketing and Dairy Products in Navagam village, where counterfeit ghee was allegedly being manufactured and packed for sale.

Police seized 25 containers of 15 kg each filled with vegetable oil, seven containers containing palm oil, three containers of fake ghee, and machinery used in the manufacturing process.

Investigators said the accused allegedly mixed palm oil and vegetable oil and sold the product as pure cow ghee.

The accused, identified as 40-year-old Kiran Modi of Sumul Dairy Road, was detained from the spot. During interrogation, Modi told police that he had obtained a licence from the Food and Drugs Department in 2021 and had been operating the warehouse for the last three years.

An FDCA team collected samples of the seized materials for laboratory testing. Police said further legal action will be taken after the test reports are received.

“The adulterated product was allegedly being sold as genuine cow ghee to mislead consumers. Samples have been sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory for analysis, and further action will follow based on the findings,” said N.G. Panchani, Police Inspector, LCB Surat. DeshGujarat