H-FAST Seizes 121 Tonnes of Adulterated Food and Files 21 Cases in Charminar
The Hyderabad Food Adulteration Surveillance Team (H-FAST) has seized 121.87 tonnes of adulterated and toxic food material and registered 185 cases, including 21 cases in the Charminar zone, during its first 100 days of operations. Launched on March 19 of this year, the specialized team of 36 personnel conducted continuous raids and surprise inspections across Hyderabad to protect public health from hazardous food agents.
Working under the decisive leadership of the DCP Task Force, H-FAST coordinated closely with Food Safety Officers (FSOs), the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), and the Food Safety and Veterinary departments. The crackdown targeted various zones across the city. The highest concentration of offenses was recorded in the Rajendranagar Zone with 55 cases, followed by Golconda with 44, Secunderabad with 35, Charminar with 21, Shamshabad with 13, Jubilee Hills with 12, and Khairatabad with five cases.
The massive scale of recovered commodities exposed dangerous practices by local syndicates. Officers seized 27,024.7 kilograms of illicit ginger-garlic paste across 27 cases and 25,845 kilograms of fruits chemically ripened by 12 distinct syndicates. The team also intercepted 60 tonnes of discarded chicken waste, 15 tonnes of low-quality meat, 9,260 kilograms of stale pickles, 4,030 kilograms of adulterated khoya, 3,897 kilograms of spurious tea powder, 3,260 kilograms of chemical cream, 2,706 kilograms of substandard dry fruits, 2,500 kilograms of adulterated curd, 1,514 kilograms of synthetic paneer, and 530 kilograms of fake ghee.
To ensure strict legal follow-up, the police wing forwarded 247 distinct cases to the GHMC FSOs for formal regulatory prosecution. This administrative action was heavily driven by 90 direct complaints filed by citizens and 70 regulatory infractions discovered at commercial paneer processing units. Enforcement actions also targeted 11 samosa production sites, nine commercial water packaging units, seven spice manufacturing centers, six bakeries, and six fast-food establishments.
Hyderabad Police Commissioner VC Sajjanar warned that the Preventive Detention (PD) Act would be invoked against the food adulteration mafia. He stated that the department does not view this menace as a minor commercial fraud, but as a heinous attempt to murder innocent people. He emphasized that the consumption of these hazardous agents severely disrupts child development and triggers chronic conditions like cancer, kidney failure, and cardiovascular diseases.
Following the operations, food business operators, hoteliers, and bakers across the Hyderabad Commissionerate were summoned to a mandatory directive meeting. Establishments were given warnings that capitalizing on public health hazards would invite immediate closure. All operational entities are now legally mandated to hold active FSSAI accreditation, ensure staff use protective masks and gloves, adopt strict First In, First Out (FIFO) inventory protocols, and completely halt the reuse of commercial cooking oil.
