Over 71,000 liters of counterfeit drinks seized; spoiled chicken destroyed in Peshawar, moldy pickles recovered in Mardan
Peshawar
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Food Safety and Halal Food Authority (KPFS&HFA) has uncovered a major network involved in the distribution of counterfeit and substandard beverages during operations carried out across the province, while separate raids in Peshawar and Mardan led to the seizure and destruction of unsafe food items.
According to a spokesperson for the food authority, acting on a tip-off, the Kohat food safety team set up a late-night checkpoint on the Indus Highway and intercepted a vehicle heading towards North Waziristan. During the search, officials recovered approximately 11,700 liters of counterfeit and substandard beverages, which were confiscated on the spot, while the driver was taken into custody.
Further investigation and tracing of the supply chain led a joint team comprising officials from Kohat, Peshawar and Nowshera to a warehouse located in Banda Nabi area of Tehsil Pabbi, Nowshera. During the raid, the team recovered around 60,000 liters of branded counterfeit and substandard beverages, which were seized. The warehouse was sealed and legal proceedings against the owners have been initiated under the Food Safety Act.
In a separate operation in Peshawar, the food authority, in collaboration with the district administration, raided a chicken shop early in the morning and recovered approximately 250 kilograms of spoiled and foul-smelling chicken parts, which were immediately destroyed. An FIR was registered against the individuals involved, who were subsequently arrested and sent to jail.
Meanwhile, in Mardan, the food safety team raided a pickle production unit and recovered approximately 1,000 kilograms of mould-infested and rotten pickles, which were also destroyed on the spot. The unit owner was fined heavily and an FIR was registered for violations of food safety regulations.
Director General of the KP Food Safety and Halal Food Authority, Kashif Iqbal Jilani, lauded the teams for the successful operations and reaffirmed the authority’s commitment to taking strict action against those involved in the production and distribution of counterfeit and unsafe food products.
Jilani said the authority would continue its crackdown across the province and warned that no leniency would be shown to individuals jeopardizing public health.
