Sindh Food Authority Seals Illegal Cooking Oil Factory in Karachi

Authorities in Karachi have sealed an illegal factory operating out of a residential property in Shadman Town, where counterfeit cooking oil and ghee were being produced and packaged under the names of well-known brands, officials said.

The Sindh Food Authority (SFA), working alongside police from Shahrah-e-Noor Jahan, carried out a joint raid after receiving a tip-off about unlicensed manufacturing at the site. According to an SFA spokesperson and police officials, the premises were locked when the team arrived; officers gained access, seized the equipment and materials inside, and sealed the property.

During the operation, officials recovered counterfeit cooking oil and ghee products bearing labels of popular brands, including Soya Supreme, Dalda and Habib. Heavy machinery installed inside the house had been used to fill and package the products, the SFA spokesperson said.

Authorities also confiscated substandard loose oil, empty bottles, cartons, branded labels, sealing machines and other packaging materials used in the operation. Initial findings suggest low-quality oil and ghee were being poured into containers carrying the names of established brands before being supplied to shops across the city. Officials noted that the factory operated during the day and remained closed at night.

The SFA and police have launched legal proceedings against those involved, and further investigations are underway to establish how long the operation had been running, identify the individuals responsible and map the distribution network that supplied the counterfeit products to retailers in Karachi.

The case highlights ongoing concerns over food safety and the sale of substandard edible products in the country's largest city, where regulators have stepped up inspections of manufacturing and packaging facilities in recent months.