Task Force Busts Tea Powder Adulteration Racket in Sanathnagar; One Arrested

Hyderabad: Commissioner’s Task Force (Western Zone Team), in coordination with Sanath Nagar Police, busted a tea powder adulteration racket in Sanath Nagar and arrested a 33-year-old businessman for allegedly mixing synthetic substances with tea powder for the purpose of making illegal profits.

The accused was identified as Jagannath Bishnoi (33), a resident of Fathenagar, Hyderabad. Acting on reliable information, the Task Force team raided his facility and seized a large quantity of additives.

During investigation, the accused reportedly confessed to preparing adulterated tea powder by mixing coco peat with hot jaggery water, drying it for two to three days and then adding synthetic food colors like Sunset Yellow and Tartrazine Orange. The colored coco peat mixture was further dried and blended with low quality tea powder and granules.

It is claimed to mix 450 grams of low-quality tea powder, 500 grams of low-quality tea granules and 50 grams of colored coir peat for every kilogram of adulterated tea powder. The product was then promoted as the original tea powder and sold to local tea stalls and dealers at higher prices.

Police seized 120 kg of mixed tea powder, 30 kg of natural tea powder, 138 kg of coco peat mixture, 800 grams of Sunset color, 700 grams of Tartrazine color, jaggery boxes, weighing machine, household gas cylinder, bundles of carrying bags and other equipment used in the adulteration process.

Authorities have warned that food adulteration poses serious risks to public health and strict legal action will be taken against those involved in it. The public has been advised to purchase food products only from authorized and reputed sellers and report any suspected adulteration to the authorities.

The raid was carried out by the Western District Task Force Inspector and his team as well as local police officials.