Southall Food Importer Fined After Seizure of Illegal Ghee

Swadi Products stocked tins made for sale in India

All dairy imports from India are prohibited under UK food safety regulations. Picture: Ealing Council

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January 29, 2026

A Southall food importer and its directors have been fined more than £20,000 after hundreds of litres of banned ghee were discovered at their warehouse.

Swadi Products UK Limited, based on Endsleigh Road, appeared at Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court on 20 January, where the company, director Amrik Panesar, and secretary Preeti Panesar all pleaded guilty to multiple food safety and traceability offences.

The court heard that the business had been selling Amul‑branded ghee produced in India — a product banned from entering the UK and EU because India does not have an approved milk residue plan for dairy exports. All dairy imports from India are prohibited under UK food safety regulations.

The case began in March 2025, when Ealing Council officers visited the premises following a referral from the Food Standards Agency. During the inspection, officers found 444 tins of ghee labelled “for sale in India”.

When questioned, the company initially claimed the stock had been purchased from another business. Officers were later handed a handwritten invoice naming a supplier called “Soni and Sons Leicester”. Checks with Leicester City Council and Companies House found no trace of the business ever existing, and Swadi Products was unable to identify who had supplied the ghee — itself an offence under food traceability laws.

Swadi Products also denied selling the ghee to any other businesses. However, on 26 March 2025, officers found 11 tins of the same banned product on sale at Western Cash and Carry in Southall. An invoice dated 9 February listed Swadi Products as the supplier. The company had failed to provide this invoice when requested, another offence under food law.

All seized ghee was removed from the premises and later destroyed.

The court imposed substantial penalties on the company and its directors:

• Swadi Products UK Limited: £4,000 fine, £1,694 costs, £1,600 victim surcharge — £7,294 total
• Amrik Panesar: £4,000 fine, £1,694 costs, £1,600 victim surcharge — £7,294 total
• Preeti Panesar: £2,666 fine, £1,694 costs, £1,066 victim surcharge — £5,426 total

Both Mr and Mrs Panesar now have criminal records as a result of the prosecution.

Councillor Kamaljit Nagpal, Ealing Council’s cabinet member for decent living incomes, said the case demonstrated the importance of strict food safety rules.

“All food businesses must follow the law to protect public health. These rules exist for good reasons and flagrantly ignoring them is unacceptable. We will always take the strongest possible action against any businesses in the borough that break these rules.”