Importers fined over banned fish shipment

A facility in Qassim region has been fined SR500,000 ($133,000) after the Saudi Food and Drug Authority found the documentation of a shipment it imported had been tampered with, with the intention of selling a type of fish banned from import to the Kingdom.

The authority said it was asked to inspect an imported shipment, weighing about 2 tonnes, that contained eight types of fish. Officials noticed discrepancies between the information on the labeling of the consignment and the customs declaration, and the appearance of one of the types of fish included in the shipment.

The fish were sorted, samples were taken and it was confirmed that the incorrectly labeled fish were actually tilapia, a type that cannot be imported to Saudi Arabia.

The authority said the consignment was rejected and the importing facility was referred to authorities for further regulatory action.