Key Update

The H-FAST team of Hyderabad police has busted a large-scale tea powder adulteration racket in the city. In a coordinated operation, police conducted raids at 15 locations over the past two days and arrested 10 individuals involved in the illegal network. During interrogation, the accused admitted that they mixed harmful synthetic chemicals with low-quality tea powder. They then repackaged the adulterated product under multiple brand names and circulated it in the market as genuine tea powder.

Health Risks Flagged by Police

DCP Task Force Gaikwad Vaibhav Raghunat stated that the adulterated tea poses serious health risks, including stomach disorders, allergies, and long-term complications, due to the use of unsafe additives and chemicals. Investigation revealed that the accused operated in different roles within the racket. They engaged in unsafe practices such as mixing artificial colours, jaggery extract, used tea powder, and expired tea dust to improve colour, weight, and appearance.

Interstate Supply of Low-Quality Tea

Police found that the group sourced inferior-quality tea powder from Kolkata, Kerala, and Assam. They further adulterated it using synthetic food colours like sunset yellow FCF and tartrazine before distributing it to vendors and dealers.

Source: Telangana Today