Bhavnagar district’s Sihor taluka witnessed a major crackdown on illegal food production as authorities raided a fake mawa (khoya) factory in Devgana village. Acting on a tip-off, the Bhavnagar Local Crime Branch, in coordination with the District Food and Drug Department, conducted the operation and seized a total of 780 kilograms of adulterated mawa. The factory, operating under the name Dwarakadish Sweet Mart, was reportedly producing mawa by mixing various non-food substances like vanaspati ghee and fatkadi, raising serious health concerns.
Sihor Region: Fake Mawa Factory
According to officials, the factory was licensed for producing sweets, but the scale of mawa production in a small village shocked even the authorities. The joint operation uncovered a massive quantity of adulterated food items. Among the seized goods were 28 units of Natural Delight SMP, 29 bags of Amul milk powder, 7 cans of Suman vanaspati ghee, and multiple packages of 10 kg and 30 kg each, totaling 1,220 kg of sweet mawa. Additionally, half a sack of fatkadi, four bottles of soya sauce, four bottles of vinegar (used for noodles), and 300 kg of raw mawa were recovered from the premises.
The operation revealed that factory operators were using cheap and unsafe substitutes to increase profits. For instance, 300 kg of mawa made using fatkadi was valued at ₹63,000, and 480 kg of mawa made using vanaspati ghee was worth ₹76,800, making the total value of adulterated products approximately ₹1.39 lakh. These products were clearly unfit for human consumption.
The authorities also collected seven different food samples, including refined palmolein oil, vanaspati ghee (Suman brand), sweet mawa, and fatkadi, which were sent to the laboratory for detailed testing by the District Food Department. The crackdown comes ahead of Diwali, a time when the demand for sweets increases significantly. Officials warned that the factory operators were likely supplying adulterated mawa to local sweet makers to reduce production costs and increase profit margins.
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The investigation also revealed that Kalpesh Bhupatbhai Baraiya, associated with the factory, had previously been involved in cases related to fake milk production. Police have confirmed that the factory’s operation posed a serious public health risk due to the use of non-food ingredients in products meant for consumption.
The joint operation by the Local Crime Branch and District Food Department highlights the need for strict monitoring of food production, especially in small villages. Residents are advised to purchase sweets and mawa only from verified and licensed vendors to avoid health risks associated with adulterated products. Authorities have promised continuous vigilance and strict action against illegal food manufacturing activities.
This raid serves as a reminder of the growing concern of food adulteration in small towns and the importance of timely enforcement to protect public health.
