Maqis seizes 28 tonnes of frozen buffalo meat

BUTTERWORTH - The Malaysian Quarantine and Inspection Services Department (Maqis) of Penang has seized 28 tonnes of frozen buffalo meat from India worth RM270,000 because the information on the health and halal certificates issued from the exporting country was inaccurate and different.

Its director, Muhammad Ikram Abd Talib said Maqis enforcement officers conducted an inspection on 1,167 boxes of frozen meat at the North Butterworth Container Terminal (NBCT) on Wednesday (Oct 12) before seizing them for further investigation.

"Preliminary investigation found the items having misleading information, with the health and halal certificates issued from the exporting country being inaccurate and different.

"The use of inaccurate and misleading information on the halal and health certificates will be investigated under Section 13 of the Quarantine and Inspection Services Act 2011 (Act 728),” he said in a statement tonight.

He said that Maqis constantly carried out inspections of agricultural products at all entry points of the country to ensure that plants, animals, carcasses, fish, agricultural products and microorganisms imported into the country are free from the threat of pests, diseases and contaminants, in addition to complying with the rules and regulations stipulated by the government. - BERNAMA