Abu Dhabi: Saudi Arabia’s Food and Drug Authority said it had imposed fines of SR1.5 million on three companies for violating the food law and its executive regulations, local media reported.
The violation of the first company, Al Jameel International Trading Co. Ltd., based in Jeddah, was the storage of a highly toxic and dangerous pesticide — restricted in use — in a food transport container, and accordingly the facility was punished with a fine of SR500,000.
A fine of SR500,000 was imposed on the Riyadh-based Wessam Al Dawaa Medical Company, for violating a decision on the importing and trading in prohibited tilapia fish.
Lastly, Al Sadafa Fish Company Ltd. for Trading, headquartered in Jeddah was fined SR500,000 riyals, for importing prohibited fish and changing the country of origin and name of the type of fish.
Some 773 businesses were closed, 140 production lines suspended, and 882 violations of unlicensed activity were seized in 2020, according to the Saudi FDA’s annual report.
The total fines imposed on the facilities amounted to nearly SR26.4 million and the number of visits was 131,913, an increase of 157 per cent, compared to 2019.
The Saudi FDA is responsible for regulating and controlling food, medicine, medical and diagnostic devices, and setting mandatory standards for them, whether they are imported or locally manufactured. It is tasked with monitoring and examining them in its laboratories or laboratories of other agencies, and educating consumers in everything related to food, medicine, medical devices and all products and related preparations, and legal measures are taken against the violating companies to ensure the safety of food and medicine for humans and animals and the safety of biological and chemical preparations as well as electronic products that affect the human health.
