Trichy: Officials of the Department of Food Safety on Saturday night confiscated around 48,000 kg of the wrong rice bags of eight wholesale dealers and warehouses in Trichy City.
Contraband is estimated to cost Rs 30 lakh.
Local traders were arrested for labeling and packing rice bags imitating the main rice brand operating from Karnataka.
Officials of the Department of Food Security Department said they received complaints from Karnataka-based rice mills through district administration.
The manufacturers have claimed that the shop parts and warehouses in Trichy City abuse their brand by packing rice and selling rice and brand designs.
On Saturday, eight teams from the Department of Food Security led by District Food Safety Officers Dr.
R Rameshbabu conducted inspections in eight retail and godown rice throughout the city including Viswas Nagar and Gandhi Vicinities Market.
Teams in synchronized inspections have found that illegal units do their own local printing and packaging rice bags by misuse of Karnataka-based rice plants.
“We have collected seven legal samples from rice bags for laboratory studies.
Based on the results, we will register a case for violations,” said Dr.
Rameshbabu food security officer.
The failure does not have the right license to store rice while labels in rice bags are not in accordance with FSSAI standards, food security officials added.
Residents with complaints relating to food security can file their complaints at 94440-42322 (WhatsApp).