RIYADH — An importer that allegedly allowed noodles with pork ingredients to enter the Saudi market has been referred to the Bureau of Investigation and Public Prosecution (BIP) along with four wholesale traders for questioning before facing a court trial on charges of commercial fraud and breaching the country's regulations. An official source at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry said on Thursday that if convicted, the importer would also face punishments from the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) for distributing unhygienic and unlicensed foodstuffs. The department of customs will also blacklist the importer so all his imports are scrutinized closely. The merchants that distributed the noodles among the retailers denied having any knowledge of pork products in the shipment.
