The Punjab Food Authority (PFA) has unearthed two illegal factories making carbonated drinks of different popular brands and confiscated 35,000 litres spurious drinks.The authority also caught the distributor involved in selling and purchasing of fake drinks.
The provincial food regulatory body has taken timely action against them after receiving information about their crimes. Acting on the tipoff, food safety team under the supervision of high officials has conducted raids and caught them red-handed. PFA has vowed to make Punjab free of adulterated food as per the vision of Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar.
PFA Director General retired Captain Muhammad Usman said that PFA has rooted out the factories and premises of distributor after confiscating thousands of litres substandard fizzy drinks, more than 2,000 empty bottles, 1,200 bottle lids and a huge quantity of fake labels and raw material. Meanwhile, 15 gas cylinders, six filling machines, chemicals, artificial flavours and other machinery were seized from the possession of the arrested suspects and approached police for registration of cases against owners of the illegal factories. PFA has sealed two fake factories in the area of Sagian Pull and warehouse of a distributor of bottles in Amna Park.
He said that fake drinks were being prepared by using artificial sweeteners, chemicals, loose colours and contaminated water. He said that fake bottles were supplied at local shops in the market after fake packaging and labelling. He further said that use of spurious drinks which prepared without formula might lead to cancer and ulcer diseases. The director general has appealed citizens to purchase good quality and ratified products from reliable stores. He added that people can inform PFA about adulteration mafia, expired products and food-related issues on its Facebook page, mobile application and Toll-Free number 1223.