A food safety crackdown in Tripura’s Dhalai district has exposed a worrying trend—unauthorised foreign packaged snacks being sold in school canteens without proper checks or licenses.

In a joint operation led by Dhalai’s Food Safety Officer Bijoy Bhattacharjee and Sub-Divisional Food Inspector of Ambassa Jueyb Betu, a significant haul of unlicensed, foreign-origin food items was seized from two private English medium schools—St. Arnold and St. John's—in the Lalchari area.

The confiscated products, which included fried dried fish, chicken snacks, chocolates, and other processed foods, are suspected to have originated from Myanmar. These items lacked basic labeling requirements such as FSSAI license numbers, expiry and manufacturing dates, pricing details, and manufacturer information—raising serious red flags about their safety and source.

According to the food safety officials, none of the seized products complied with India’s food safety standards under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. Authorities also hinted at a possible smuggling route through the Damcherra border in North Tripura, pointing to a larger cross-border network involved in distributing these items across school and local markets.

Officials confirmed that the seized items would be destroyed as per government protocol. Notices are being issued to the school canteen operators and associated vendors, and further legal action is likely once the investigation concludes. The role of school administrations in permitting the sale of such unregulated food is also under review.

The incident has prompted the district administration to tighten surveillance on school canteens and marketplaces. Officials have urged the public to remain vigilant and to check for proper labeling—including FSSAI license, manufacturer name, expiry date, and price—before purchasing any packaged food.

Citizens have also been encouraged to report any suspicious food items to their nearest food safety office, as authorities aim to curb such potentially dangerous practices.