Adulterated ginger-garlic paste unit busted in Lalapet, four held

Metro India News | Hyderabad 

The Commissioner’s Task Force, Secunderabad Zone, along with Lalaguda police, raided an illegal ginger and garlic paste manufacturing unit in Lalapet and arrested four persons while seizing about 1,915 kg of adulterated ginger and garlic paste, 30 kg of acetic acid and other packing materials used in the operation.

The raid was conducted at the Jhansi Ginger and Garlic Paste godown near Jana Priya Apartments in Lalapet following credible information about the illegal activity. Police registered a case in Crime No. 84/2026 under Sections 318(4), 275 and 223 read with 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita at Lallaguda police station.

The arrested persons were identified as Neela Venkateswaralu (56), owner of the unit and resident of Lalapet; K. Vinod (46), supervisor from Shanti Nagar, Lallaguda; and workers T. Sathish (23) of H North Lallaguda and M. Shivani (46) of BJR Nagar, Malkajgiri.

Police said the accused were preparing ginger and garlic paste in highly unhygienic conditions by mixing acetic acid and other substances to increase the shelf life of the product. The paste was stored in large plastic tubs for several days before being packed into containers of different sizes.

The packets were labelled using fake brand names and date stamps and supplied to several kirana stores to earn illegal profits.

Officials also seized about 10 kg of xanthan gum, 80 kg of raw ginger and garlic, packing machines, a grinding machine, a weighing machine, date stamps and labels used for packaging the adulterated products.