Halal Meat Scandal Rocks South Wales: Men Jailed for Falsely Advertising Non-Halal Meat as Halal

Strategic Insights -

Two men, Helim Miah and Noaf Rahman, have been convicted of selling halal-labelled chicken to Indian restaurants and takeaways in south Wales, even though their suppliers did not provide halal meat. The investigation revealed "extremely poor food hygiene conditions" at Universal Foods Wholesale Ltd, including defrosted and refrozen poultry, chicken past its sell-by date, and unclean transportation of meat.

Key Takeaways:

  • Helim Miah, 46, and Noaf Rahman, 46, sold halal-labelled chicken to Indian restaurants and takeaways in south Wales despite their suppliers not providing halal meat.
  • An investigation by Cardiff and the Vale Shared Regulatory Services revealed extremely poor food hygiene conditions, including defrosted and refrozen poultry, chicken past its sell-by date, and unclean transportation of meat.
  • Miah was found guilty of 10 charges, including running a food business dishonestly, mislabelling expiry dates, and failing to track food origins.
  • Rahman pleaded guilty to multiple food hygiene offences.
  • The court seized 2,840 kilograms of frozen meat from Universal Foods Wholesale Ltd in January 2019, revealing a string of food hygiene issues.
  • The incident raises questions about how food suppliers are held accountable for the accuracy of their halal claims and the need for greater consumer awareness.
  • Cllr Norma Mackie, cabinet member for Shared Regulatory Services at Cardiff Council, emphasized the importance of verifying the authenticity of halal certifications.

Statistics:

  • 2,840 kilograms of frozen meat were seized from Universal Foods Wholesale Ltd in January 2019.
  • 10 charges were brought against Helim Miah, including running a food business dishonestly, mislabelling expiry dates, and failing to track food origins.
  • Miah and Rahman were sentenced to 56 months and 24 months respectively.
  • The investigation revealed extremely poor food hygiene conditions, including:

+ Defrosted and refrozen poultry

+ Chicken past its sell-by date

+ No evidence of temperature records

+ Evidence of pest activity

+ Transportation of unmarked meat in unclean vehicles

Sources:

  • "Man who sold non-Halal meat as Halal is jailed for four years and four months." Cardiff Council. [No Date Listed]
  • "Two men jailed after dishonestly selling non-Halal meat to local restaurants." Cardiff and the Vale Shared Regulatory Services. [No Date Listed]