(Interior): 27 Suspects Arrested for Altering Expiry Dates of Imported Fish

The Ministry of Interior announced on Thursday the arrest of 27 suspects involved in tampering with the expiration dates of imported fish, and the seizure of 16 refrigerated transport vehicles containing 894 boxes of fish whose expiration dates had been altered. In a press statement, the Ministry said that the General Directorate of Criminal Investigations, represented by the Counter-Counterfeiting and Forgery Crimes Department, succeeded in apprehending the suspects as part of ongoing security efforts to combat commercial fraud and protect consumers. It clarified that the arrests followed intelligence reports and investigations that revealed the suspects had changed the production and expiration dates on boxes of imported fish by printing labels with incorrect dates, with the aim of extending their shelf life and selling them to restaurants, companies, and retail stores. The specialized teams proceeded to the Central Fish Market after obtaining authorization from the Public Prosecution, where they arrested the suspects, seized the refrigerated transport vehicles and fish boxes, as well as a computer used to prepare and print the counterfeit labels. The suspects confessed upon confrontation that they had altered the expiration dates contrary to the truth, with the assistance of a printing company. Subsequent visits to the offices of two other companies linked to the case revealed that they were merely registered addresses with no actual commercial activity. The Ministry stated that the suspects and seized items have been referred to the competent authorities to take the necessary legal measures. (End) A.J.R.