Cairo: A Saudi court in the eastern city of Dammam has handed down a two-year jail sentence to an expatriate on charges of manufacturing and possessing fake veterinary medicines.
In its final ruling, the court has also ordered the convict to pay a fine of SR20,000.
He was also charged with printing fake labels with the intention of fraud.
The defendant, whose nationality was not revealed, was caught by inspectors at the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) in Dammam while carrying veterinary preparations in a non-refrigerated vehicle.
SDFA said investigations showed that the man had possessed non-registered veterinary medicines and raw materials to manufacture veterinary preparations that were found out to be incompatible with technical standards.
Furthermore, he had bought empty bottles in commercial quantities to fill them with these preparations without obtaining the required official licences.
Possessing, manufacturing, composing and marketing any veterinary preparations without obtaining the necessary legal licences constitute a violation of a related law enforced in the six Gulf Cooperation Council countries, which comprise the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain and Qatar.
SDFA has urged members of the public to report any violation on the part of establishments under its supervision by dialling its hotline or via the app “Tameni” (Reassure Me).
The app provides accurate, detailed information about food, drugs and medical devices. “Tameni” functions by scanning barcode of food, drugs, cosmetics, and medical devices . The user has also access to product updates such as recalls.
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