Police seize adulterated ginger and garlic paste
The Hyderabad Commissioner’s Task Force, Khairtabad Zone Team, alongside GHMC food safety officers, has busted illegal manufacturing units and apprehended an owner for producing substandard ginger and garlic paste. Officials seized a significant quantity of the paste and other food products worth Rs 4.5 lakh during the primary operation. The team conducted a surprise inspection at the premises of A1 Sahara Gold Ginger & Garlic Paste, located at Madhura Nagar in Borabanda. During the raid, it was discovered that the accused, Mohd Abdullah, was manufacturing the paste in plastic containers under extremely unhygienic conditions. Investigators found that the product was being created by mixing chemicals such as acetic acid and salt with substandard raw materials, including shells.
Vaibhav Gaikwad Raghunath, DCP Task Force, stated that the prepared paste was stored in open plastic tubs, exposed to dust, flies, and other contaminants, rendering it unsafe for human consumption. The adulterated product was supplied to various wholesale stores and catering services, allowing the accused to gain huge illegal profits.
The DCP warned that such adulterated paste is hazardous to human life. Police noted that Abdullah managed the business using an FSSAI licence obtained in his father’s name. The apprehended individual and the seized materials were handed over to Borabanda police for further legal action.
In a separate operation, police conducted another surprise inspection at Sahara India in Tappachabutra, Karwan. During this raid, the owner, Mohammed Zafar Alam, was booked for similar offences. The inspection revealed that the accused was manufacturing ginger and garlic paste in plastic containers under highly unhygienic conditions by mixing chemicals such as citric acid and salt. Police seized adulterated stock worth approximately Rs 2.50 lakh from this unit. Zafar Alam was reportedly engaged in the large-scale manufacture and sale of these tainted products to restaurants and retail shops across Hyderabad.
The total value of seized material from both operations amounts to Rs 7 lakh. The accused from the second raid was handed over to Tappachabutra police for further proceedings.
These coordinated efforts by the Task Force and GHMC highlight a rigorous crackdown on food adulteration units that bypass health regulations to exploit public demand. Authorities have urged residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious manufacturing activities to ensure community health and safety across the city.
