KUWAIT CITY, April 8: Kuwait Municipality Thursday confiscated 20,000 imported chickens and a huge pile of shrimps after discovering they are unfit for human consumption. This incident reveals the lack of concern that the ‘traders of death’ have for the health of consumers and the level of corruption in the Department of Imported Foodstuff.

According to sources from the Municipality, some of the spoilt foodstuff was supposed to be disposed earlier but they were instead sent back to the local market.

This prompted several traders to report about it to Kuwait Municipality and demanded the latter to investigate how these products appeared in the market. They also indicated that they will take necessary legal actions against the Department of Imported Foodstuff in this regard. The sources said, “The disposal area for the spoilt foodstuff is open and unsecured. Some laborers and shift employees could have been tempted to conspire with some traders and take some of the spoilt products back to the market”.

Meanwhile, Municipal Board Member Ali Al-Mousa said he wonders why the areas where spoilt foodstuff are disposed do not have security or even fences to prevent some greedy individuals from exploiting these foodstuff at the expense of the public health and safety.

He asked the State Minister for Municipal Council about the measures that have been taken after discovering that spoilt foodstuff was being sold in the markets that are close to the disposal site and at very low costs because these items will expire within a month or two.

Al-Mousa warned against downplaying this problem and its risks, since it is related to the health and safety of the citizens and expatriates. He stressed the importance of implementing tough control and inspection measures on the disposal site, and intensifying inspections of market areas to arrest those who commit violations in this regard in order to deter those who are tempted to violate the food security of the country and frivol with the health of consumers.

By Abdulnasser Al-Aslami Al-Seyassah Staff