A Special Task Force (STF) of the Madhya Pradesh Police on July 19 arrested 57 people after conducting raids on three factories producing and supplying "highly toxic synthetic milk", according to a report by NDTV.

Located in the Gwalior-Chambal region, the factories were supplying spurious milk to branded milk units in six states, including Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana and Maharashtra.

Superintendent of Police (SP), STF, Rajesh Bhadoria, said the teams seized over "10,000 litres of spurious milk, over 500 kg of spurious 'Mawa' or 'Khoya' and over 200 kg synthetic paneer(cottage cheese)".

Bhadoria added that a total of 20 tankers and 11 pick-up vans containing spurious milk and other products were seized. "Also, liquid detergent, refined oil and glucose powder were seized in large quantities from these units," he said.

The report states that in every one litre of spurious milk being manufactured at the three units, over 30 percent milk was mixed in a combination of refined oil, liquid detergent, white paint and glucose powder.

A similar formula was applied to prepare synthetic cottage cheese, being supplied across states in north, central and western India, according to the report.

Sources told the news channel that while the milk was produced at Rs 5 per litre, it was sold at Rs 45-50 per litre.

"Cottage cheese was supplied at prices ranging between Rs 100-Rs 150 per kg. The three synthetic milk chilling units were working 24x7 and producing around 2 lakh litres milk daily," an officer said.

Sources in the STF told the channel that some food inspectors were also involved, and action will be taken against them.

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