'Synthetic' milk network busted in Haripur

Late-night raid seals factory producing hundreds of thousands of litres of fake milk

HARIPUR:

A nationwide network involved in the production of synthetic milk has been dismantled in Haripur's Hattar Industrial Zone, where three suspects were taken into custody. The group had allegedly been supplying adulterated milk to Punjab and several other provinces.

Officials said that during a late-night raid, authorities sealed a factory accused of producing hundreds of thousands of litres of fake and hazardous milk. Three individuals were arrested at the scene. Authorities vowed that such "food terrorists" would not be spared under any circumstances.

Director-General Wasif Saeed reported that the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Food Safety and Halal Food Authority had uncovered the network during a major intelligence-led operation targeting the manufacture of counterfeit, adulterated and unsafe milk.

Director Operations Yusuf and Director Technical Dr Abdul Sattar Shah, supported by a specialised food safety team, raided the premises and arrested the suspects — originally from Bahawalnagar, Punjab — caught red-handed inside the factory.

Briefing the media, DG Saeed explained that after stringent action by the Punjab Food Authority (PFA), the notorious group had shifted its operations to K-P, where it was intercepted in time. He noted that the crackdown was prompted by intelligence shared initially with the PFA and later acted upon by its K-P counterpart.

Providing further details, he said that large quantities of chemicals, raw materials and heavy machinery used in the manufacture of synthetic milk were recovered from the facility. Tankers filled with unsafe milk were also seized and subsequently destroyed.

He added that the factory had been operating illegally and supplying adulterated milk to major cities, including Islamabad and Rawalpindi. The network was allegedly producing and distributing almost 100,000 litres of synthetic milk each day, posing a severe risk to public health.

The factory was sealed during the operation, the manager and two others were arrested, and all machinery was taken into government custody. An FIR has been lodged, and legal proceedings are underway.

The DG further stated that the Haripur Food Authority's district team had been suspended for negligence. He reaffirmed that those endangering public health would face strict action and that harsh penalties awaited such "food terrorists."