Thane: 200 Tonnes Of Expired Food, Products Seized; Duo Arrested

Two men from a recycling company have been arrested for allegedly repackaging and attempting to resell expired goods, including food and household items, in Maharashtra’s Thane district, police said on Sunday.

The arrests followed raids conducted by the Thane city police on July 9 and 10 at two godowns in the Dahisar area of Shil-Daighar, based on a tip-off. Officers seized nearly 200 tonnes of expired products that were originally sent for safe disposal by an e-commerce company.

The accused, Mohammad Irfan Mohammad Munir Chowdhary (41) and Mohammad Akram Mohammad Ismail Shaikh (58), are partners in a recycling and waste management firm based in Bhiwandi.

According to the police, the duo was involved in repackaging expired food items such as grains, cereals, flour, sugar, rice and dry fruits, along with household goods including toilet cleaners, sanitary pads, soaps, and washing powders. Labels were deliberately removed, and the items were repacked in plastic and gunny bags for resale in local markets.

“The goods were never destroyed as intended. Instead, they were stored for redistribution in Bhiwandi and nearby areas,” an official said.

The two have been booked under sections 318(4) (cheating), 336(2) (forgery), and 340(2) (using forged documents or records as genuine) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Investigations are ongoing.