July 20, 2008	Sunday	Rajab 16, 1429

SAHIWAL, July 19: The police have raided a counterfeit milk manufacturing factory in Aabpara Town on Multan Road and arrested its owner and his three employees, District Police Officer (DPO) Tariq Saleemi said here on Saturday.

He said the milk manufactured at the installation was used to be transported to Haleeb Foods as a truck being used for the purpose and carrying the trademark of the company was also seized from the premises.

The DPO said that he received information about the factory where milk was being manufactured by processing different chemicals injurious to human health. The DPO formed a raiding team but did not inform the food inspectors concerned. However, to take food inspectors on board, they were told that a raid was going to be conducted in Chichawatni.

The team consisting of inspectors Mahmoodul Hassan and Tariq Abbas Qureshi and food inspector raided the factory on Friday night and arrested its owner Baber Sharif, of Liaquatabad, Pakpattan, and his three employees, Muhammad Amjad, Muhammad Ali and Bilal. The police also confiscated apparatus and chemicals used for manufacturing the milk.

The factory with a capacity to manufacture 9,000 litres of milk in a day has been operating for the past around 18 months. The samples of milk collected by food inspectors were sent to Lahore for chemical examination.

The DPO deputed Investigation SP Ahmed Nawaz Cheema to further probe into the matter. The DPO has also announced cash prizes for the raiding team.

Ch Arshad, incharge, Plate Heat Exchanger, one of the Haleeb milk contractors, denied police claim that Baber Sharif suppllied milk to his centre. He said there were many milk contractors in Sahiwal which were directly supplying milk to Haleeb factory in Bhai Pheru.

Dawn contacted Dr Zubair of Haleeb Foods to seek his comments but he switched off his cell phone after taking the question.