Food supplies seized before being smuggled to Sri Lanka

Inspectors from the General Administration of Customs at Shuwaikh Port managed to seize 2,236 items of subsidized food supplies loaded into six 40-foot containers destined for export to the Republic of Sri Lanka. Inspections revealed that the containers held quantities of subsidized foodstuffs. An inventory of the container contents resulted in the seizure of the following items:

* 211 cans of subsidized milk.

* 349 bags of subsidized flour.

* 435 bottles of Dalal cooking oil.

* 9 cans of subsidized Dalal vegetable ghee.

* 38 bags of subsidized lentils.

* 787 packs of subsidized pasta.

* 49 bags of subsidized rice.

* 35 bags of subsidized sugar.

* 323 cans of subsidized tomato paste.

The seized containers belong to several shipping and export companies. They were intercepted while completing export procedures through the Shuwaikh Port exit, prior to their departure from the country.

This seizure is part of efforts to protect the country’s food security, preserve the strategic reserve of essential goods, and ensure that subsidized food supplies reach their rightful beneficiaries, while preventing their smuggling or illegal export, which could impact the availability of goods and the stability of supplies in the local market.

Based on the inspection results, the General Administration of Customs has taken the prescribed customs and legal measures regarding the containers and seized items, and referred the case to the competent authorities to complete the necessary procedures in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.

The General Administration of Customs affirmed its continued commitment to tightening oversight at all customs checkpoints and combating attempts to smuggle or illegally export subsidized food supplies in violation of the laws and regulations governing them, and to take legal action against anyone proven to be involved in such incidents.