Hyderabad Police seize 122 tonnes of adulterated food, book 185 cases in H-FAST’s first 100 days

The Hyderabad Police have booked 185 cases and seized nearly 122 tonnes of adulterated and substandard food products during the first 100 days of operations of the Hyderabad Food Adulteration Surveillance Team (H-FAST), with officials warning of stricter action, including the invocation of the Preventive Detention (PD) Act against habitual offenders.

Launched on March 19, H-FAST was set up by the Hyderabad Police to curb food adulteration through coordinated enforcement with the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), Food Safety and Veterinary departments. In its first 100 days, the specialised unit seized 121,874.9 kg of adulterated food and registered cases across all seven police zones in the city.

Rajendranagar recorded the highest number of cases at 55, followed by Golconda (44), Secunderabad (35), Charminar (21), Shamshabad (13), Jubilee Hills (12) and Khairatabad (5).

The largest seizure involved more than 60 tonnes of chicken waste in six cases. H-FAST also confiscated 27,024.7 kg of adulterated ginger-garlic paste in 27 cases and 25,845 kg of chemically ripened fruits in 16 cases. Other major seizures included around 15 tonnes of substandard chicken and meat, 9,260 kg of pickles, 4,030 kg of adulterated khoya, 3,897 kg of spurious tea powder, 3,260 kg of adulterated cream, 2,500 kg of adulterated curd, 2,706 kg of substandard dry fruits and dates, 1,514 kg of adulterated paneer, 530 kg of adulterated ghee and 120 kg of substandard fried chicken from fast-food centres. Cases were also registered involving ice cream, biscuits, spices, sweets, expired products, noodles, chocolate and other food items.

Police also transferred 247 cases to GHMC Food Safety Officers for further regulatory action. These included 70 cases involving paneer outlets and 90 cases registered on the basis of complaints from the public. Others include 11 cases against samosa manufacturing units, nine against water packaging plants, seven against spice processing units, six involving bakeries and fast-food centres, four against hostels and meat shops, three targeting ice manufacturing units and seafood outlets, and four quick-commerce platform inspections.

According to the police, the H-FAST unit comprises 36 trained personnel led by a Deputy Commissioner of Police and carries out regular raids and surprise inspections to identify food adulteration networks operating across Hyderabad. Officials said the unit’s enforcement has relied on close coordination with GHMC, Food Safety and Veterinary authorities to strengthen surveillance, collect samples and pursue legal action against offenders.

As part of preventive measures, Hyderabad Police have also held meetings with food business operators, including hotels, restaurants, bakeries and food manufacturing units, directing them to comply with Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) norms. Businesses have been instructed to maintain valid licences, ensure hygiene standards, use gloves and masks, adopt the first-in, first-out (FIFO) method for stock management and avoid reusing cooking oil.

Hyderabad Police Commissioner V.C. Sajjanar said food adulteration posed a serious threat to public health and would be treated as more than a routine regulatory violation. He warned that the police would invoke the Preventive Detention Act against habitual offenders involved in organised food adulteration.

H-FAST receives around 15 complaints of suspected food adulteration every day within the Hyderabad commissionerate limits. He appealed to residents to report suspected cases by dialling 100 or through the H-FAST helpline- 8712661212, assuring that the identity of informants would be kept confidential.