Hyderabad police busted major fake ghee operation, seizing 25.5 tonnes of adulterated product plus big amounts of palm oil and vanaspathi. The August 18, 2026 crackdown hit 130 spots around city,exposing a scheme selling synthetic ghee as "100% Pure Ghee."
Police Commissioner V.C. Sajjanar stressed how dangerous this food scam is, saying it poses real health risks. operation involved Hyderabad Food Adulteration Surveillance Team and Food Safety Department, acting on tips from public and intelligence.
Inspections of 39 factories and 91 stores uncovered two main tricks. One swapped out milk fat for palm oil, vanaspathi,and fake flavors to imitate real ghee. The other used skimmed milk powder with palm oil, starch,and artificial ghee aroma.
DCP Gaikwad Vaibhav Raghunath explained that real ghee, made from 95.5% milk fat, needs 30-35 liters of milk per liter, costing over ₹1,500. Fake stuff sold for ₹600-₹700. Big price difference.
Along with the 25.5 tonnes of fake ghee,police grabbed 8.7 tonnes of cream, 1,200 liters of palm oil,600 liters of vanaspathi,30 kg of starch, and six bottles of fake ghee flavors. Samples went for lab tests,and seized goods were handed to Food Safety Department for deeper probe.
Sajjanar said public help is key in fighting these scams. He asked people to report any suspicious activities to allow quicker action. Adulteration levels ranged 10% to 40%, with fake ghee reaching diverse users like restaurants and hotels.
Products were sold under fake labels like "Premium Ghee" and "Natural Ghee," often in clear packs missing key info. Many packs lacked batch numbers, FSSAI licenses, and manufacturing dates .
Police found a complex supply chain,with cream coming from Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh,Madhya Pradesh,Gujarat,Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu. Using cheap substitutes, manufacturers made fake ghee for less,selling at high prices.
Health risks from these fake products are worrying . Using refined palm oil and chemicals can raise LDL cholesterol and increase heart disease risk . Long-term use could affect digestion,liver,kidneys, skin,and metabolism.
Samples will undergo full lab tests to uncover extent of the scam. Sajjanar advised buying dairy from trusted vendors,checking packaging and FSSAI licenses.
He warned against buying suspiciously cheap or loose ghee,and urged caution with sweets and dairy from unlicensed vendors. For reports of food scams,police offer helpline at 112 and H-FAST helpline at 8712661212,promising confidentiality.
