Suspects deny tampering with dates on food packets

Dubai: Five men denied in court yesterday the charge of tampering with packets of frozen noodles and other food products meant to be delivered to residences of VIPs and five-star hotels.

Prosecutors accused four Indian suspects — a businessman, a warehouse keeper, a security guard and a worker — besides a Nepalese worker with cheating by falsifying expiry dates on food products being packaged for sale.

Prosecution records said the suspects altered expiry dates on various food products including frozen noodles, sauces, pepper, dried fish, peanuts, mustard seeds and vinegar by applying new labels.

When the suspects [who are in custody] appeared before the Dubai Misdemeanours Court's Presiding Judge Jamal Abdul Majid, they pleaded not guilty. The five repeatedly shook their heads in denial and described the charges brought against them as ‘baseless accusations'.

The businessman, T.L., firmly denying his charges, contended before the judge: "No I am not guilty… I did not tamper with any food product." Lawyers Ali Abdullah Al Shamsi and Abdullah Al Bannay represented the defendants in courtroom 11.

Al Shamsi argued: "The suspects have been detained for four months … this is a misdemeanour crime and prosecutors have submitted uncorroborated evidence. Dubai Police's criminal lab report did not mention any pertinent evidence in the confiscated products. The report also did not mention any material evidence concerning the expiry labels."

The advocate also presented photos before Presiding Judge Abdul Majid confirming that the products' expiry dates had not been tampered with.

‘Not for sale'

"A Dubai Municipality first health inspector told the investigating prosecutor that the place where the products were confiscated had a sign which read ‘products are not for sale'… this proves that our clients didn't have any criminal intention," argued Al Shamsi.

After the suspects pleaded not guilty, Al Shamsi and Al Bannay placed a bail request for their clients.

Presiding Judge Abdul Majid rejected the bail request and adjourned the case until June 30.

According to the charge sheet, prosecutors said the defendants removed expiry date tags and replaced them with labels carrying new dates. Prosecutors also said the suspects intended to sell the products and had refilled them in plastic bags that did not meet health specifications. Records said some of the products had been contaminated by bacteria and fungi.

Prosecution records said a Sri Lankan worker [who worked for T.L.'s company in Jebel Ali Free Zone] headed to a VIP's residence and alleged that the suspects had been plying them with food products whose expiry dates had been altered for two consecutive years. After reporting the matter to the municipality, a police patrol escorted the first health inspector to the company's warehouse in Al Quoz for inspection.

Eight suspects were taken into custody for questioning. Around 27 samples were sent for municipal laboratory examination.

According to the municipality's report, some products were well past their expiry dates while others were safe. Prosecutors cleared three suspects of wrongdoing and referred the remaining five to court.