BUSINESSMAN FOUND SELLING CANNED FISH PAST USE-BY DATE

Abusinessman, who sold tins of canned fish under the forged label of a reputed importing company, was taken into custody and a large stock of canned fish seized by the Consumer Affairs Authority during a raid at the Welisara Economic Centre.

The CAA carried out the raid when investigating a complaint by the importing company that its trade name and address had been forged on the labels pasted on the tins of canned fish long past the use-by date.

The CAA believes that the canned fish unfit for human consumption might have been sold in other areas as well and that investigations were continuing

The CAA Gampaha District Investigation Officer said the canned fish with the long past use-by date and thus unfit for human consumption was being sold by an organised group of racketeers by printing the name of the importing company on the tins. It is believed that the racket had been operated for some time. He said the CAA believed that these tins of canned fish unfit for human consumption might have been sold in other areas as well and that further investigations were being carried out on this racket.

The businessman had told the CAA that he had received the stock of canned fish from a person in Colombo.

Investigations Officers Asanka Nandasiri, Hemantha Gunasinghe, A.D. Adikari, Thamara Suraweera, Chandrika Ranweera, J.P. Mudalige and P. Udawattta carried our out the raid under the instructions of CAA Chairman Hasitha Tilakaratne.