JOHOR BARU – Nineteen cold distribution companies have been found to be involved in imported meat cartel activities in an operation conducted in six states simultaneously on April 9.
Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department director Datuk Huzir Mohamed said seven of the companies are in Johor, four each in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor, two in Penang, and one each in Kedah and Perak.
He said the distributors are found to have conspired with a local company, which is allowed to legally import frozen meat from Brazil.
“Based on the importer’s permit, the company can import only 27 tonnes of meat for each issued permit, but investigations revealed that the company used only four of five importer permits issued last year.
“However, the importer was found to have distributed more than 1,000 tonnes of meat to 202 customers, as proven by seized invoices.
“Investigations also revealed the annual profit of the 19 distribution companies are between RM1 million and RM52 million.”
During Op Kartel Daging, the department also arrested 36 individuals – 26 men and 10 women – aged between 28 and 67. Thirty-four of them are company directors and two managers.
Besides Brazil imports, Huzir said, the importer also receives supplies, which will be repackaged before distribution to customers, from local companies.
The company also prepares boxes with the halal logo to repackage the meat to fulfil customer orders, he added.
“We found that the company has received many orders as it offers lower prices compared with other halal meat distributors, as well as three-month credit facilities compared with the cash-on-delivery method practised by other companies,” he said, adding that these activities have caused concerns and doubts over the halal status of meat in the market.
This has not only impacted Muslims, but all Malaysians, Huzir said, as the repackaged meat’s cleanliness could not be determined and it has not been approved by the Veterinary Department.
Police will continue their investigations into the issue, he said, adding that they are tracking down two men believed to be the masterminds behind the cartel.
On December 1 last year, a raid conducted by enforcement agencies on a frozen food warehouse in Senai near here exposed the activities of a cartel smuggling in meat from overseas and repackaging it with halal logos for sale throughout Malaysia. – Bernama, April 11, 2021
