Cooking oil factory sealed for using popular brand names to sell unhealthy products

A factory producing counterfeit cooking oil and ghee under the names of well-known brands has been uncovered inside a residential property in Karachi.

The joint operation was carried out by the Sindh Food Authority (SFA) and Shahrah-e-Noor Jahan police on a tip-off about illegal manufacturing activities in Shadman Town.

A spokesperson of SFA and police officials said the premises were locked at the time of the raid. After gaining access, authorities seized the equipment and materials found inside and sealed the property.

Counterfeit products bearing the names of popular brands, including Soya Supreme, Dalda and Habib, were recovered from the premises.

According to the SF A spokesperson, heavy machinery had been installed inside the house to fill and package cooking oil and ghee.

The seized items included substandard loose oil, empty bottles, cartons, branded labels, sealing machines and other packaging materials.

Initial investigations suggest that low-quality oil and ghee were being packed in counterfeit containers bearing the names of established brands before being distributed to shops across Karachi.

Officials said the factory operated during the day and remained closed at night.

The SFA and police have sealed the premises and launched legal proceedings.

Police said investigations were underway to establish how long the illegal operation had been running, identify those behind it and trace the network involved in distributing the counterfeit products across the city.