FDA's War on Food Crime: Surveillance, Citizen Action and Grassroots Raids

State steps up enforcement with tech-driven surveillance, grassroots raids, and public awareness to safeguard food and drug safety.

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Maharashtra is considering invoking the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) against repeat offenders and organised syndicates involved in the illegal trade of gutkha, adulterated milk, and counterfeit medicines. In an interview, Minister of State for Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Yogesh Kadam, outlined a zero-tolerance approach towards what he termed “public health hazards and social evils.”

“We are taking a firm and unwavering stand against banned substances like gutkha and illegal tobacco. These are not merely regulatory issues but social evils that affect the health and well-being of our citizens,” Kadam said, adding that long-term consequences, including prosecution under criminal laws, are being actively pursued. The FDA, in coordination with the police, is stepping up its crackdown on the storage, transport, and sale of banned and adulterated substances. To deter repeat offenders, a centralised offender tracking system is being developed. “We want to ensure that habitual violators are not able to reenter this harmful trade under new names or fronts,” the minister said.

Milk Survey a Step to Restore Public Trust

Recently, the FDA carried out a large-scale milk testing drive across Maharashtra, collecting over 1,000 samples. Kadam described this as a critical step in safeguarding what he called “Amrit”—a sacred and essential element of Indian life. “When something as fundamental as milk is adulterated,” he said.