Saudi Arabia: Dead ox seized before going to market

Cairo: Saudi authorities seized a dead ox that a butcher’s shop allegedly planned to sell to unsuspecting customers, local newspapers reported. The ox had not be slaughtered using the halal method, and could have died of natural causes. Municipal authorities in cooperation with police in the governorate of Beesha in south-western Saudi Arabia had seized the carcass on the back of a pick-up truck.

The store was shut down in connection with the case, according to Okaz newspaper.

“The monitoring teams had seized the vehicle belonging to the butcher’s store after getting an alert from a citizen,” head of the Beesha municipality Ali Al Jalban said.

“The alert was verified and the load of the vehicle was seized,” he added.

The official vowed penalties against the workers and their employer involved in the incident.

“Food safety and establishments handling it in terms of preservation, transportation and storage are focus of daily inspection,” he added.