Rachakonda food safety raids: 575l of adulterated ghee, over 7000kg of adulterated ginger-garlic paste seized

The Rachakonda Police booked 46 cases and arrested 52 people during a special drive against unauthorised and unhygienic food manufacturing units on July 2. The raids were carried out by Special Operations Teams I and II in coordination with Law and Order officers and the Armed Reserve forces of the commissionerate.

Acting on the instructions of Commissioner of Police G. Sudheer Babu, the teams raided several units across LB Nagar, Maheshwaram, Malkajgiri, and Bhongir zones. “Many units were found operating without Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) licences or trade licences. In multiple locations, expired raw materials were being used, banned synthetic food colours were found, and basic hygiene standards were not being followed. Some units were even employing children,” said the officer.

A few manufacturers were also selling products with no manufacturing or expiry dates, and many were supplying adulterated items under counterfeit labels of reputed brands were found.

In LB Nagar, 11 cases were booked and 575 litres of adulterated ghee was seized. In Maheshwaram, 8 cases were booked and 3,946 kilograms of adulterated ginger-garlic paste was seized. In Malkajgiri, 9 cases were booked with seizures including 3,037 kilograms of adulterated ginger-garlic paste and immunity-boosting tablets and powders, including vitamin and protein supplements, all worth ₹10 lakh. In Bhongir, 18 cases were booked. Officials seized 35 kilograms of adulterated paneer and approximately 250 kilograms of adulterated snack mixtures.

Other adulterated food products found during the raids include milk, turmeric powder, coriander powder, sweets, biscuits, bakery items, ice creams and mineral water.

The Commissioner said that the seized food items were being supplied across the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) limits. One of the raided units was manufacturing so-called immunity-boosting tablets and powders, also without proper authorisation.

The Rachakonda Police have appealed to the public to check manufacturing and expiry dates before purchasing any food product, and to report unlicensed or unhygienic food production units via call or WhatsApp at 8712662666. Further investigation is underway to trace the distribution network.