Jeddah Municipality destroys 4.5 tons of spoiled meat and closes violating sites

As part of its ongoing efforts to enhance municipal oversight and protect public health, the Jeddah Governorate Municipality a large-scale field campaign in the eastern part of the governorate, which resulted in the seizure and destruction of huge quantities of food unfit for human consumption, and the closure of a number of sites that were being run haphazardly and in violation of regulations.

Details of the seizures: 4.5 tons of meat of unknown origin

The municipality announced that its inspection teams successfully seized and destroyed approximately 4,550 kilograms of spoiled meat and sheep heads that showed clear signs of decay and spoilage. These quantities were found in an unsanitary and unregulated storage area lacking even the most basic hygiene and health standards, where they were being kept in a contaminated environment unsuitable for food preservation.

The danger of meat from unknown sources lies in its potential to cause serious illnesses in consumers. The trade of meat outside of approved slaughterhouses and without veterinary supervision is a major cause of food poisoning and bacterial diseases. The municipality consistently emphasizes the importance of verifying the source of meat and checking for official stamps to ensure its safety.

Various violations: counterfeit perfumes and smuggled tobacco

The Director General of the General Administration for Monitoring and Addressing Negative Phenomena, Yasser bin Siraj Bakhsh, explained that the campaign was not limited to food products but also included monitoring other commercial violations. Two hundred liters of perfume of unknown origin were seized, and 13 freezers used to store spoiled goods were confiscated. The site was immediately closed due to the lack of a proper electricity meter and its operation by undocumented workers, posing a security and health risk.

In another location, the teams were able to seize 47 tobacco packages that did not bear tax seals and did not meet the requirements, which constitutes tax evasion and a violation of the commercial regulations in force in the Kingdom.

Cooperation with charitable and governmental bodies

In a gesture reflecting social responsibility, Bakhsh noted that various quantities of food items fit for consumption were seized at another location and were fully delivered to the Sustainability Association in the form of two truckloads, to ensure that they would be used and distributed to those in need instead of being destroyed, after verifying their safety.

This campaign was implemented with high-level coordination and active participation from several government agencies, including:

• Civil Defense: To ensure the safety of sites from fire hazards.
• The Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority: which took charge of confiscating the non-compliant tobacco products.
• The General Authority for Food and Drug: which has begun monitoring the quantities of poultry feed and taking the necessary regulatory measures.

Consumer protection campaigns continue

These efforts are part of the Jeddah Municipality's strategy to eliminate negative phenomena in informal settlements and prevent practices that threaten residents' safety. A site used for the illegal manufacture of household furniture was also raided, and an unlicensed sewing workshop was shut down by the Umm Al Salam sub-municipality.

The municipality called on all citizens and residents to cooperate with it in reporting any municipal or health violations through the “Baladi” application or by contacting the unified reporting center (940), stressing that community awareness is the first line of defense against these practices.