Authorities in Morocco have dismantled a network accused of selling spoiled and unsafe food products that were reportedly reaching consumers during Ramadan.
The operation led to the arrest of 10 managers of bakeries and food shops in several cities, according to the Moroccan Observatory for Consumer Protection.
The suspects were operating businesses in Tangier, Larache, Meknes and Karia Ba Mohammed.
Inspection teams that searched the shops said they found large quantities of spoiled food. Among the items seized were 726 kilograms (about 1,600 pounds) of rotten meat and fish, 384 units of expired cheese and hundreds of kilograms of pastries, pies and sweets that inspectors said were unfit for consumption.
Authorities also confiscated large amounts of cooked food that had already spoiled but was still being prepared for sale.
The consumer watchdog described the findings as “shocking,” warning that the products were intended to be sold to Moroccan families during Ramadan, a period when demand for bakery goods, sweets and prepared meals rises sharply.
Investigators also discovered that some of the businesses were operating without the required licenses and were producing or handling food outside health and safety regulations.
Following the operation, one suspect was placed in police custody under orders from prosecutors, while the other individuals remain under judicial investigation as authorities seek to determine whether the network has broader connections.
The Moroccan Observatory for Consumer Protection questioned how many bakeries and food outlets may still be operating outside proper health monitoring systems.
The group warned that such practices represent a serious threat to food safety, particularly during Ramadan, when food consumption across the country increases significantly.
It called on authorities to tighten health inspections of bakeries and food preparation shops and to take stronger action against food fraud networks. The organization also urged officials to publish the names of businesses found violating health regulations to help protect consumers.
The watchdog further recommended increasing nighttime inspection patrols during Ramadan, when many bakeries and food vendors remain open late.
add your comment
Terms of publication : Not to offend the writer, people, sacred things, or attack religions or the divine self, and refrain from racist incitement and insults.