A food importer and distributor has been fined for neglecting vital safety inspections on potentially hazardous foods it imported into the country.

Last month, Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court was informed that Al Noor Ltd, based in Southall, failed to alert port authorities in Suffolk about a shipment of spice mixes from Pakistan received in May 2022. Without a proper declaration, the shipment did not undergo the required safety checks.

The court also learned that Al Noor Ltd, located on Johnson Street, had deliberately obstructed compliance officers conducting regulatory checks. The company, along with its director Ahmed Akhlaq of Parlaunt Road, Slough, pleaded guilty to the unauthorized removal of goods and failing to comply with an official notice.

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As a result, Al Noor Ltd was ordered to pay a total of £9,424 in fines, victim surcharges, and legal costs. Mr Akhlaq personally faced financial penalties amounting to £3,285 for his involvement.

The shipment in question contained various spice mixes classified as high risk due to potential contamination with aflatoxins—carcinogens linked to liver cancer. Ingesting these toxins can pose serious health risks. To mitigate such dangers, importers are required to declare shipments and submit them for sampling at ports of entry.

However, Al Noor Ltd failed to comply with these regulations. The shipment was removed from the port without undergoing the necessary checks, rendering it an illegally imported food consignment. Consequently, Ealing Council’s food safety team mandated the destruction of the goods within 60 days.

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A compliance inspection in July 2022 uncovered that more than half of the shipment was missing and unaccounted for. Authorities granted the business 24 hours to produce the entire consignment. When inspectors returned days later, they found boxes had been relabelled and repacked—suggesting an attempt to disguise the contents.

Although the products were eventually disposed of, this only occurred eight days after the 60-day deadline had expired.

Councillor Kamaljit Nagpal, cabinet member for decent living incomes at Ealing Council, emphasized the severity of the violations. "Obstructing food safety officers is a very serious offence and is not taken lightly by the council. The consequences for the business’ customers in this case could have been grave if council officers had not stepped in to enforce the law."

"We are pleased that the court’s fine reflects the gravity of the case. We will always seek the strongest possible punishments for companies which gamble with the public’s safety."

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Laurence Jarrold, a technical specialist with Suffolk Coastal Port Health Authority (SCPHA), also praised the prosecution. "We are pleased to see this successful prosecution. The products were not declared as required at the UK Border and therefore were not assessed by under the required import controls. Without Ealing Council’s assistance, this could have led to unchecked high-risk products with significant potential health risks being placed on the market, posing a risk to consumers."

"This is a great example of successful joint working with environmental health colleagues. This collaborative effort has successfully safeguarded UK public health, which remains our top priority."