Hyderabad Busts Massive Spice Adulteration Ring! 😱 Over 25,000 Kg Seized
Hyderabad Busts Massive Spice Adulteration Ring! 😱 Over 25,000 Kg Seized
Shocking news from Hyderabad! Police seize over 25,000 kg of spices, adulterated with dyes and talcum powder. Learn how authorities are cracking down on food fraud to protect public health.
In a significant crackdown, the Hyderabad Food Adulteration Surveillance Team (H-FAST), collaborating with the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation's (GHMC) Food Safety Team, has seized over 25,300 kilograms of spices. These spices were found to be heavily adulterated with dangerous substances like fabric dyes, talcum powder, industrial dyes, and synthetic colours. The operation, which took place on August 4, 2026, also uncovered and confiscated a staggering 89,150 kilograms of raw materials used for this illicit adulteration.
The seized products included substantial quantities of ajwain (7,920 kgs), jeera (6,700 kgs), mustard (4,960 kgs), jeera dust (2,350 kgs), shajeera (2,280 kgs), cloves (550 kgs), and fennel seeds (540 kgs). Authorities revealed that these harmful additives were used primarily to enhance the appearance of the spices, increase their weight, and for other deceptive purposes, misleading consumers and potentially jeopardizing their health.
Hyderabad Police Commissioner V.C. Sajjanar confirmed that this major enforcement drive targeted traders involved in the sale, trade, or processing of spices, acting on credible intelligence. H-FAST, part of the Hyderabad Police Commissioner’s Task Force, along with the GHMC team, inspected 13 business establishments and independent locations. These sites were actively engaged in the procurement, processing, and wholesale or retail trading of spices, and were found to be indulging in practices detrimental to human health.
The inspection revealed shocking methods of adulteration. At one manufacturing facility, low-quality and rejected mustard stocks were mixed with fabric dye, talcum powder, and oil to artificially enhance the spice’s gloss and weight. This widespread operation is part of a larger crackdown by Hyderabad authorities, which has also covered other food items such as ginger-garlic paste, meat, paneer, dairy products, fruits, and pickles, highlighting a serious threat to public health across various food sectors. Three individuals have reportedly been arrested in connection with these operations, sending a strong message against food fraud.
#HyderabadFoodScam #AdulteratedSpices #FoodSafety #OperationSpiceCleanse
