Three people will appear before judges on Tuesday for alleged commercial fraud involving more than 600 expired food items prepared for sale to consumers.
The Public Prosecution has referred the owner of a commercial establishment and two employees to the criminal court, after they were found in possession of products featuring expiry dates that appear to have been altered.
The Attorney General and Head of the Ministries and Public Entities Prosecution confirmed that the case was initiated following a detailed report submitted by the Industry and Commerce Ministry.
“During routine inspection visits, enforcement officers discovered a large quantity of expired food items inside a commercial establishment,” a statement said.
“Investigators found that the expiry dates on the products had been tampered with, replacing the original dates with falsified ones to indicate that the goods were still fit for consumption.
“As an immediate precautionary measure, the ministry ordered the closure of the establishment.”
Upon receiving the ministry’s report, the Public Prosecution launched a swift investigation.
A team of prosecutors visited the premises, conducted an on-site inspection, and recorded the testimony of the judicial enforcement officer responsible for the discovery.
The prosecution subsequently ordered the arrest and detention of the accused individuals.
“Two of them were questioned and placed under pre-trial detention pending the completion of investigative procedures,” said the Public Prosecution.
The prosecution also ordered the seizure of the establishment and all food products on site, assigning specialists from the Industry and Commerce Ministry to conduct a detailed inventory and determine the extent of the alleged violations.
“The inspection uncovered more than 600 expired food items prepared for sale to consumers,” the statement added.
The Public Prosecution also appointed a forgery and counterfeiting expert from the Forensic Evidence Department.
“The expert’s report concluded that the expiry dates on the examined products had indeed been replaced with new, falsified dates,” the statement alleged.
The case has been scheduled for a hearing on Tuesday at the Lower Criminal Court.
The Attorney General underscored the Public Prosecution’s firm stance against violations involving consumer goods, especially food items, noting that such actions pose ‘serious risks to public health’.
“The Public Prosecution will not hesitate to rigorously apply the law against anyone who manipulates goods - particularly foodstuffs - as these practices endanger the health and safety of citizens and residents,” affirmed the Attorney General.
“The case marks another step in the ongoing nationwide efforts to combat commercial fraud and ensure that food distributed in local markets meets safety and quality standards.”
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