MCI, KSA cracks down on questionable food sources in KSA

Source: MCI. Ramadhan foods unfit for human consumption were found in Jeddah.

Inspection teams from the Ministry of Commerce and Investment (MCI) in Jeddah Municipality have detected an unlicensed plant producing Ramadhan dishes and food that were deemed unsuitable for human consumption in mid-June. They were also packed by illegal labour.

The ministry received a tip from the Department of Civil Defense in Jeddah reporting an unlicensed plant lacking safety and health requirements. The inspectors confiscated all the equipment and machines, and destroyed the food before it could be distributed. More than 2 tons and 700 kg of kunafa were seized, as well as 225 assorted sweet dishes, 66.000 ready-for-sale sambusa, in addition to 2,300 raw sambusa.

The owner of the site has been summoned by MCI to complete the necessary legal procedures.

Source; MCI. A date packaging and syrup-making facility was found to be employing illegal labour and packaging dates of unknown origin.

​The MCI also announced the shutdown of a plant for packaging dates in Qatif Governorate in mid-June. Illegal labour were caught mixing dates of unknown origin together and forging expiry dates. 

About 3.5 tons of dates were found ready for packaging, and another 900kg of them were already packed in boxes ready for distribution. There were also a large number of drums for date syrup produced inside the plant.

The illegal labourers were handed over to the security authorities. All of the food and equipment was confiscated, with those responsible summoned by MCI for investigation.

The raids were part of the many inspection tours that the MCI has conducted even before Ramadhan in different parts of KSA, and which continue today. The organisation aims to eliminate fraud and manipulation practices on consumers, and to eradicate the supply of counterfeit and substandard products in the market.

MCI reiterated that it will not hesitate to impose legal penalties on offenders and those involved in the practice of commercial fraud, and who put the health and safety of consumers at risk.

Interested?

Consumers can lodge complaints and observations with the MCI Consumer Call Center by calling 1900, or through the application of a Commercial Violation Report via their smart phones.