RIYADH — The Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) imposed a fine of SR500,000 on a firm in the Qassim region that tampered with the data of a type of fish prohibited from being imported into Saudi Arabia, for the purpose of selling it in the Saudi market.

The authority said that the penalty was imposed after it received a request to inspect a shipment containing eight types of fish in a warehouse imported from outside Saudi Arabia. Upon inspection, the inspectors suspected the name of one of the types of fish in the shipment because the data on the label and the customs declaration did not match the apparent appearance of the imported fish. Accordingly, samples were taken and all the fish were sorted, and it became clear that one of the imported varieties did not match what was included in the label, as it was river tilapia, the import of which was prohibited in the Kingdom.

The SFDA stated that this consignment, which weighed approximately two tons, was rejected, and the firm was referred to the relevant authorities to complete the necessary regulatory procedures against it, and to impose penalties in accordance with the law.

According to the Food Law and its executive regulations, the penalties for the violation amount to a fine of SR500,000, in addition to preventing or suspending the violator from practicing any work related to the Food Law. The violation involves any establishment trading or advertising food or any of its derivatives that contains prohibited, forbidden, contaminated or banned substances internationally or locally or the firm came under a trading ban issued against it earlier.

The SFDA called on consumers to report violations in establishments under its supervision when they notice them, by calling the unified number 19999, or through the Tameni application.

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