Hyderabad Police Seize 36 Tonnes of Adulterated Ghee in Raids on 130 Units

Hyderabad City Police have launched a crackdown on the manufacture and sale of adulterated ghee, carrying out simultaneous inspections at 130 establishments across the city on Tuesday. The coordinated operation was conducted by the Hyderabad Food Adulteration Surveillance Team (H-FAST) alongside officials from the Food Safety Department.

Acting on intelligence inputs and public tip-offs, enforcement teams inspected 39 ghee manufacturing units and 91 retail outlets. Authorities uncovered operations producing synthetic and adulterated ghee using cheaper substitutes, unauthorized chemical additives, and artificial flavoring agents.

Police seized approximately 36 tonnes of adulterated products and raw ingredients during the inspections. The seized stock included 25.5 tonnes of adulterated ghee, 8.7 tonnes of cream, 1,200 litres of palm oil, 600 litres of vanaspati, 30 kilograms of starch, and artificial ghee flavouring agents.

Investigators stated that several manufacturers were mixing milk solids or skimmed milk powder with palm oil, vanaspati, starch, and artificial flavours to mimic the aroma, taste, and appearance of authentic ghee. Adulteration levels in the products ranged between 10 percent and 40 percent.

The compromised products were packaged under misleading labels such as "100% Pure Ghee", "Premium Ghee", "Farm Fresh Ghee", and "Natural Ghee", despite failing mandatory statutory labelling norms. Stock was also diverted to hotels, restaurants, tiffin centres, bakeries, sweet manufacturers, caterers, and Ayurvedic shops, while some was marketed as pooja or "deepam" ghee.

All confiscated materials were handed over to Food Safety authorities, and statutory samples were collected for laboratory analysis and further legal proceedings.

Hyderabad Police Commissioner VC Sajjanar said that strict enforcement would continue against individuals compromising public health. He urged citizens to remain vigilant and purchase dairy products only from reputed, licensed vendors, while advising consumers to check for valid FSSAI licences, intact seals, and complete manufacturer details.