Joint teams from H-FAST and GHMC intercepted seven vehicles carrying raw poultry waste destined for aquaculture tanks in Andhra Pradesh, raising serious concerns about contaminated fish entering the food supply.
Hyderabad police and GHMC officials dismantled an illegal inter-state chicken waste network in the early hours of Monday, seizing 90 tonnes of raw, unprocessed poultry waste and detaining multiple suspects across four locations in the city.
Acting on credible intelligence, H-FAST — the Hyderabad Food Adulteration Surveillance Team — conducted simultaneous raids at godowns in Amberpet, Kulsumpura, Attapur, and Rajendranagar. Seven transport vehicles were intercepted and seized. Cases have been registered at the relevant local police stations, and further legal proceedings are under way.
Waste Diverted to Fish Farms
Investigators found that the operators had been collecting poultry waste from chicken shops across Hyderabad and transporting it without a valid license to aquaculture farms in Andhra Pradesh — specifically in the West Godavari district towns of Bhimavaram, Eluru, Bheemadolu, and Undi, as well as in Nalgonda. At those sites, the raw waste was being fed directly to commercially grown fish.
The waste was originally meant for a licensed rendering point at Chengicherla, where it would have undergone regulated processing. Instead, authorities say, it was being illegally diverted, bypassing the heat treatment required to destroy pathogens such as Salmonella and E. coli.
Health Risk to Consumers
Food safety officials warned that fish fed on untreated poultry waste can accumulate harmful bacteria, which then pass to consumers through the food chain. If the operation had continued undetected, contaminated fish from these aquaculture tanks could have reached markets across both states.
The seized material was disposed of by GHMC veterinary doctors following prescribed safety procedures. Authorities have not yet indicated whether any fish from the affected farms has already entered commercial supply.
Raids to Continue
GHMC officials said the operation is one of the largest food safety actions in the city in recent years, and warned that further raids on similar operations are planned in the coming weeks. Citizens who suspect illegal food waste activity are urged to contact the GHMC helpline at 155300.
