Four people were caught red-handed by the Samta Nagar police after they were found mixing water in packets of milk of different brands in an apartment at Poisar in Kandivali.

A tip-off at 4am on Tuesday morning led the Samta Nagar police to the apartment where four accused were caught in the act. The police found 454 litres of adulterated milk in the apartment. In rupee terms, the catch was worth Rs15,500. Besides the spurious milk, the police also found several vessels and other equipment.

“When we went we saw them mixing water and milk. We first took a video of the entire operation and then barged in.” PSI Ganesh Patil of Samta Nagar police said,

The four were found mixing water and milk in half-a-litre and one-litre packets of popular brands like Amul, Gokul and Mahananda. They have been identified as Chandraya Gorla (22), Virya Chirvayna (35), Krishnayya Kurakula (36) and Murali Alli (19), all from the south of India. They have been in the business of milk adulteration for the last one-and-a-half-years and were selling it to people living in residential complexes across Kandivli.

“Prima facie investigations reveal that they worked together and we’re yet to find out if they are part of a larger racket or if they have an agency or a big supplier which employs them. Of the 454 litres of adulterated milk seized, 100 litres was water,” said Patil.

No other harmful substance was found in the milk. Over 700 households must have bought the adulterated milk, the police said. The four have been booked under sections 273 (sale of noxious food), 272 (adulteration of food), 483 (counterfeit) and 485 and 420 (cheating). They have also been booked under various sections of the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act.

The police will question the flat owner who had rented the two-room apartment to them.