Madhya Pradesh Health Minister Tulsiram Silavat on Monday said National Security Act would be invoked against all those involved in supplying highly toxic synthetic milk to branded outlets across several states, PTI reported.

Last week, the Madhya Pradesh Police had arrested 62 people and busted a racket involved in manufacturing these milk products.

“The government has decided to impose NSA against those producing and selling synthetic [adulterated] milk and allied products,” Silavat told the news agency. The National Security Act allows for preventive detention of people who are perceived as a threat to national security or law and order.

Silavat said 255 samples of milk, cottage cheese, butter and condensed milk were collected over the last two days after reports on adulteration surfaced. He said National Security Act would be invoked once the lab reports come.

Silavat chaired a meeting of the state’s food and drug administration , and directed the officials to take swift action in the matter by collecting samples and getting them tested. He also asked them to form team to arrest those involved in manufacturing these milk products.

A similar meeting will be held on Tuesday in Bhopal division. Silavat will leave for Gwalior-Chambal division on July 30 to review the situation in these two areas.

The minister also said that samples were collected from licenced shops and an eight-member team was getting samples from dairies in Bhind and Morena areas, which are famous for milk adulteration. He also said licences of dairies have been cancelled.

On July 19, three synthetic milk units were busted in Amba in Morena district and Lahar in Bhind district of the Gwalior-Chambal region by the Special Task Force. The police seized around 10,000 litres of synthetic milk, over 500 kg of spurious condensed milk and around 200 kg of synthetic cottage cheese in the operation. They also found huge quantity of chemicals and preservatives.

The synthetic milk and other milk products were supplied to outlets in six states – Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Haryana.

The manufacturing units were found to spread across several acres of land with hundreds of employees. The police have also charged those supplying raw products to these factories.

In every one litre of the spurious milk manufactured at the three units, 30% milk was used in combination with refined oil, liquid detergent, white paint and glucose powder. The same formula was also used to make cottage cheese. The synthetic milk was produced at the cost of Rs 5 per litre, but was supplied to major markets at prices spanning between Rs 45 and Rs 50 per litre in cities like Bhopal and Delhi.

Some food inspectors are were also reportedly involved with the gang operating these units. They will soon be identified and action will be taken against them, the Special Task Force had said.