In a major haul in Mapusa, the Food and Drugs Administration seized 16 bags of gutka worth Rs 45,000 and destroyed 350 kgs of artificially ripened bananas.
MAPUSA/PANAJI
The FDA officials conducted a surprise search at the Mapusa municipal market and market yard early Friday morning.
The officials found a wholesaler, named Jayaram Laximan Naik, artificially ripening bananas in the market yard.
According to FDA officials, 350 kgs of bananas were artificially ripened with ‘ethepon’, a common chemical liquid used to ripen fruits. The officials conducted a spot verification test on the fruit, which gave positive result.
The entire consignment of bananas valued at around Rs 18,000 were confiscated and later destroyed at the municipal disposal site at Mapusa.
An offence has been registered against the wholesale fruit seller under the relevant Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
Later, the FDA officials found 16 bags of gutka all worth Rs 45,000 in a jeep (GA-03-H-2860) that was parked near the new Mapusa bus-stand.
Since no one was near the jeep, the FDA officials tracked the owner of the jeep with police help.
The FDA officials informed that the gutka consignment was brought from Belagavi to retail it in Goa market.
The raid was conducted by Rajiv Korde, senior food safety officer, Richard Noronha, Amit Mandrekar, Atul Dessai, Shruti Pilarnekar, Madhav and Pundalik Gawde.
