Massive food fraud busted: 23 tons of tampered goods seized during warehouse raid

In a sweeping crackdown on commercial fraud, inspectors from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry in cooperation with the Public Authority for Food and Nutrition raided a warehouse belonging to a well-known food retail company and seized a staggering 23 tons of adulterated food products.

According to official sources, the warehouse employees were caught tampering with the country of origin labels on a variety of food items, including dried shrimp, assorted nuts, spices, and legumes, reports Al-Rai daily.

Investigators discovered that the company was falsely relabeling these products to mislead consumers about their source — a serious violation of food safety and consumer protection laws.

Even more alarming was tampering with the food products expiry dates. The authorities seized large quantities of products whose shelf lives had expired but were being relabeled with fake expiry dates, posing a direct threat to public health.

The joint operation culminated in the immediate confiscation of the tampered goods, and legal procedures have been initiated against the company. Officials emphasized that this type of commercial deception is not only unethical but criminal in nature, and that those behind it will face the full force of the law.

“This case is a stark reminder that food safety is national security,” a source close to the investigation stated. “We are committed to protecting consumers from fraud and health risks, and inspection campaigns will continue with full force.”

The Ministry urged the public to report any suspicious products or practices and reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, accountability, and consumer protection in Kuwait’s markets.