Saudi Facility Fined $133,000 for Importing Banned Fish
In a shocking turn of events, a facility in the Qassim region has been slapped with a hefty fine of SR500,000 ($133,000) by the Saudi Food and Drug Authority. The reason? The documentation of a shipment it imported was found to be tampered with, all in an attempt to sneak in a type of fish that is strictly prohibited from entering the Kingdom.
Upon receiving a tip-off, the authority wasted no time in inspecting the imported shipment, which weighed a whopping 2 tonnes and contained a total of eight different types of fish. What raised red flags for officials were the glaring discrepancies between the information on the labels of the consignment and the details provided in the customs declaration. Additionally, upon closer inspection, it became apparent that one of the fish varieties included in the shipment looked suspicious.
Not taking any chances, the fish were meticulously sorted, samples were taken, and the shocking truth was revealed – the incorrectly labeled fish turned out to be tilapia, a type that is strictly banned from being imported into Saudi Arabia.
As a result, the entire consignment was promptly rejected, and the importing facility was immediately reported to the authorities for further regulatory action. It’s clear that attempting to circumvent the rules and regulations in place will not go unnoticed in the Kingdom.