Godown owners allegedly purchased used machine oil from mills and large-scale industries, mixed chemicals in it and sold it as unused oil

The Mumbai Crime Branch raided six godowns and busted a machine oil-adulteration racket in Kurla around 1.00 am today.

According to the police, the owners of these workshops purchased burnt machine oil in bulk from large scale industries and mills, mixed it with chemicals and sold it in the open market as unused oil.


Crime branch officials inspect drums of the seized oil at a godown in Kurla during the raid

More than 3,000 drums of adulterated oil and mixing ingredients were seized from the godowns in the late-night raid.

"The mixing powder has been seized along with other chemical agents. We will send it for a chemical analysis to ascertain the exact nature of the racket," said a senior crime branch official B K Sonawane.

Crime branch teams have fanned out to trace the owners of the godowns and to ascertain the places from which the used oil was bought.

Senior police officials said that the racket was seemingly run by a professional syndicate.

"The godowns also looked illegal. We will approach the BMC to find out if the workshops had the required licences and permissions," added Sonawane.

Ek Cutting!
Kaala bazar
The term originated from the illegal dealings of the underworld, where gangs would buy and sell contraband in
the grey market.