IPOH: Perak branch of the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry (KPDNHEP) and the State Islamic Religious Department (JAIPk) raided a snack food factory here yesterday, after it was believed to have used the halal logo without the approval of the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim).

Perak KPDNHEP enforcement chief V. Ravichandran said in the noon raid at Pengkalan Industrial Estate, the factory was also found storing controlled items such as sugar, wheat flour and cooking oil without a permit.

The enforcement team confiscated 401 packets of snack food, 360 boxes and 91 plastic packagings with the halal logo on them, he added.

“Some 1,450 kg of sugar, 1,125 kg of wheat flour, 1,054 kg of cooking oil and 434 kg of liquefied petroleum gas worth RM41,646 were also seized.

“Checks on the factory revealed two companies have been registered at the same address and both have been marketing their products with fake halal certification,“ he told reporters when met at the plant here yesterday.

According to Ravichandran one of the companies was issued with a halal certificate but it had expired on Dec 31, 2016,

The property owner, aged 61, has been arrested to facilitate investigation he said, adding that the agency was in the midst of tracking down the retailers involved.

From January this year to date, Perak KPDNHEP has dealt with 15 similar cases with seizure amounting to RM33,987.

“Within the same period RM174,302 were seized for offences committed under the Control of Supplies Act 1961,“ he added. — Bernama