Sandakan frozen food facility raided for storing halal and non-halal products together

Enforcement officials checking on the frozen food.

KOTA KINABALU: A cold storage facility in Sandakan has been raided for allegedly keeping halal and non-halal food products at the same location.

In the 11am raid on Wednesday (Nov 8), enforcement officials from the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry Sandakan branch and state Veterinary Services Department found that products such as chicken, duck and pork were stored together.

“A total of 864kg of frozen goods worth over RM17,000 were seized,” said Azdy Zukkry John, the ministry's chief enforcement officer for the district.

He said the case is being investigated under the Trade Description Act 2011 (definition of halal) whereby offenders could face up to a RM5mil fine for the first offence for corporate bodies or companies, and up to RM10mil for the second offence or thereafter, if found guilty.

“Individuals breaching this Act could be fined up to RM1mil or jailed up to three years, or both, if convicted of a first offence; and fined up to RM5mil or imprisoned for up to five years, or both, for a subsequent offence,” he said.

Azdy said the ministry will continue to conduct regular checks and inspections on cold storage facilities in Sandakan to ensure compliance with all relevant laws.