Adulterated spice racket busted, one arrested

Kolkata: The Enforcement Branch (EB) of Kolkata Police busted a racket manufacturing adulterated spices and arrested a person from Cossipore on Friday.

On July 25, police found a godown full of adulterated spices and arrested one person. After interrogating him, the godown in Cossipore was located. On July 25, EB officials came to know from their sources that a group was manufacturing adulterated spices. Police raided a warehouse in Ultadanga area and found 50 kg chili dust, 50 kg turmeric dust, 60 kg whole chili, 30 kg bad quality chili, 150 kg chat masala, 20 kg white chili powder, some liquid essence and coloured powder. Police arrested a person identified as Jitender Kahar of Chitpore who was running the illegal business.

After producing Kahar before the concerned court, he was remanded to police custody. During interrogation in police remand, he confessed that he was running the business illegally and also informed about a warehouse in Cossipore where such business ran.

Police on Friday raided the warehouse located at 29/H/ 12 Cossipre Road and found huge quantity of adulterated spices there.

The owner of the business identified as Pradip Singh was arrested. During the search, police seized 700 kg turmeric dust, 50 kg cumin dust, 50 kg whole dhania and some other adulterated spices and chemicals which were being used to manufacture these products.