Following the crackdown on food markets, spoiled meat, and counterfeit goods, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry’s commercial control inspectors have broadened their oversight to include the market for “adulterated” molasses.
Informed sources disclosed to Al-Rai that Commerce inspectors have shut down two tobacco (molasses) companies and their stores, one located in Salmiya and the other in Al-Ardiya.
The closures were a result of these companies being caught manipulating the expiry dates of the molasses meant for sale. The sources noted that these companies will be handed over to the prosecution for necessary legal action.
The sources revealed that the commercial fraud discovered in the confiscated quantities encompassed various types, flavors, and trade names of molasses. The seized quantities amounted to two tons (2,000 kilograms), all of which had expired between 2021 and 2022.
Furthermore, the sources highlighted that the violators concealed the expiry dates on the original boxes of the seized molasses containers and altered them to show extended valid consumption dates. They then proceeded to sell the tampered products directly to customers or cafes, completing the fraudulent commercial process.
The sources explained that the seized quantities and the method of manipulation revealed a blatant case of fraud conducted by individuals in the warehouses to misrepresent the product’s reality by altering its data, violating laws and regulatory guidelines related to consumer protection and health.
They further stated that the violators had prepared new empty packages, transferring the tobacco substance (molasses) from the expired packages, some of which expired about two years ago, to new ones with altered data indicating the product’s continued validity. This deceptive practice misled consumers.
The sources affirmed that there are explicit directives from the Minister of Commerce, Muhammad Al-Aiban, and Undersecretary Ziyad Al-Najem, urging all inspection teams to increase their patrols and crack down on violators to the fullest extent possible. These directives emphasize intensifying inspection campaigns and expanding their reach to encompass all consumer markets, avoiding a narrow focus on one market at the expense of others.
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