Your Wedding Feast Could Have Included Stale Fish: Hyderabad Police Bust Racket
HYDERABAD: Hyderabad Police have busted an illegal seafood preservation racket that allegedly supplied stale fish and prawns to weddings, hotels, caterers and other events after making them appear fresh. Officers uncovered the operation during a raid at Tara Fisheries in Mangalhat.
The Commissioner’s Task Force (Golconda Zone) and Mangalhat police conducted the joint raid at the outlet near Machipura Baitak. They arrested four people during the operation.
Police seized 100 kg of prawns, 162 kg of fish, 10 kg of sodium bicarbonate powder and six bags of salt. The total value of the seized stock and materials is around ₹90,000.
Seafood allegedly stored in unhygienic conditions
According to police, the accused bought fish and prawns at low prices from the Begum Bazar fish market. They mainly purchased seafood sold at discounted rates.
Instead of selling it immediately, they allegedly stored the seafood for several days in deep freezers and plastic tubs filled with stagnant water. Police said they operated the storage facility from an unhygienic premises in a residential locality.
Investigators alleged that the accused used sodium bicarbonate powder to slow decomposition and reduce the foul smell of spoiled seafood. They also allegedly used salt during the preservation process.
The accused then allegedly supplied the treated seafood as fresh stock to marriage functions, hotels, caterers and event organisers. Police said the buyers were unaware of the seafood’s actual condition.
Four arrested, probe continues
Police arrested Shankar Singh, owner of Tara Fisheries, along with Mann Singh, who allegedly marketed the seafood, Gulab Singh, a worker, and Rohit Singh, who allegedly rented out the premises used for the business.
The Task Force launched the raid after receiving specific information about the illegal storage and sale of spoiled seafood.
Police warned that eating stale seafood can cause food poisoning, vomiting, diarrhoea and serious bacterial infections.
Investigators are now identifying the buyers and establishments that allegedly received the preserved fish and prawns. Officials said the case highlights the need for stricter food safety checks, especially for seafood supplied in bulk to weddings, hotels and large public events. They added that consumers often have no way to verify how seafood was stored before it reached their plates.
