Karnataka Food Safety Department Seizes Over ₹1.4 Crore Worth of Expired Goods and Unlicensed Drugs in Bengaluru

The Karnataka Food Safety and Drugs Administration has seized expired and misbranded food items alongside unlicensed medicines valued at over ₹1.4 crore following a targeted enforcement drive across food storage and supply units in Bengaluru, according to an official statement issued on Wednesday. The inspections were carried out by designated enforcement teams and food safety officers under the leadership of Minister for Health and Family Welfare U.T. Khader. The operations were conducted under the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, the Food Safety and Standards Rules, 2011, and the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940. Authorities focused on compliance with mandatory labeling norms, manufacturing and expiry dates, shelf-life adherence, and general safety standards for goods distributed through online and e-commerce platforms, as well as checking for unlicensed drug storage. During the drive, officials inspected an Amazon facility located at the BLR6 HighTech Defense and Aerospace Park in Devanahalli, seizing misbranded or inadequately labeled food items worth ₹14 lakh and expired food goods valued at ₹10 lakh, taking total food seizures at the unit to ₹24 lakh. Additionally, unlicensed drugs worth ₹2,45,352 were confiscated. At another Amazon facility operated at BLR7RKV Developers in Madivala and Thattanahalli villages under Anekal taluk, authorities seized ₹19 lakh worth of misbranded food products, ₹13 lakh in expired food items, and ₹1.57 lakh in unlicensed medicines. Enforcement officers also acted on a complaint against Saptha Bazaar, situated on 6th Main Road in HBR Layout. Investigations revealed that the establishment was allegedly sourcing grocery items, milk, vegetables, curd, and other food supplies from various e-commerce and delivery agencies to resell expired stock to consumers. Inspections yielded expired goods including cashew biscuits, ragi flour, chicken patties, paneer, cookies, nuts, eggs, and flour, resulting in the seizure of expired food items worth approximately ₹10,000. In Lingarajapuram, an inspection at Leo 7 Enterprises uncovered expired or near-expiry nutritional supplements, beverages, chocolates, sweets, ghee, and nuts/seeds stored on the premises. Officers seized food products valued at nearly ₹56 lakh and officially sealed the facility. Meanwhile, a raid on an Instamart facility in Hoskote, Bengaluru Rural district, resulted in the seizure of ₹42 lakh worth of expired food items. Citing unsanitary conditions and violations of the Food Safety and Standards Act, authorities shut down the facility pending further investigation. According to an official press note, the overall enforcement drive resulted in the seizure of ₹33 lakh worth of misbranded or inadequately labeled food items, ₹1.05 crore in expired or near-expiry food products, and ₹4.02 lakh in unlicensed drugs. Confirmed food product seizures stood at ₹98.10 lakh, comprising ₹33 lakh in misbranded goods and ₹65.10 lakh in expired stock. An additional ₹1 crore worth of expired and mislabeled goods found at the Hoskote site remains under ongoing investigation and is excluded from the confirmed total. The department stated that legal proceedings will be initiated against the violating establishments as investigations continue.