Police raids Hyderabad seize 11,220 kg adulterated spices, two held

Police raided two food units in Hyderabad and seized 11,220 kg of adulterated spices and expired products. The case has raised fresh concerns over food safety as investigators await lab reports for tougher charges. Malkajgiri Police Commissioner B Sumathi said the accused took out products that had crossed their expiry date and packed them again with a fresh date. (File photo)Over 11,000 kg of adulterated spices and other food products, including chilli powder mixed with sawdust, were seized during raids at two units in Hyderabad on Thursday, police said. Two persons were apprehended in connection with alleged food adulteration and misbranding, the Malkajgiri Police Commissionerate said in a post on X.Police said the accused allegedly repacked expired products with fresh dates and made adulterated items look like those of a well-known company. The seized products included turmeric, chilli, coriander and other masala powders, and machinery was also recovered during the raids.Malkajgiri Police Commissioner B Sumathi said the accused took out products that had crossed their expiry date and packed them again with a fresh date.She said they prepared adulterated products such as chilli powder by using methods that included adding food colours to make them appear to be products of a well-known company. "The accused mixed spices with expired products. Chilli powder was found mixed with sawdust," she said. Sumathi said the accused had allegedly been manufacturing adulterated products, including turmeric, chilli, coriander and other masala powders, for the last three years.She said appropriate sections of law would be invoked against them based on the lab report. Officials said, "Raids were conducted at two units and 11,220 kgs of food products were seized along with machinery. Intentional deterioration of quality with inferior substances will not be tolerated". The officials also said the Malkajgiri Police would operate on the lines of the H-FAST, or Hyderabad Food Adulteration Surveillance Team.They said Hyderabad Police’s H-FAST has seized over 280 tonnes of adulterated food items since March this year and has warned of invoking stringent sections of law, including attempt to commit culpable homicide under the BNS.The raids led to the seizure of 11,220 kg of adulterated food products and the apprehension of two people, with police alleging that expired goods were repacked and spices were adulterated for sale. Further legal action, police said, will be based on the lab report.- EndsPublished By: India Today Web Desk Published On: Aug 20, 2026 23:48 IST