KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 16 — A US food company has been accused of selling at least US$4.9 million (RM17.11 million) worth of beef to Malaysia and other countries, allegedly marketing the products as halal despite the flouting of Islamic practices, newswire Associated Press has reported.
The Iowa-based Midamar Corp was charged with carrying out this practice for years, allegedly putting on false labels and supplying what it fraudulently claimed to be beef slaughtered according to halal standards to Kuwait, United Arab Emirates and other countries, according to the report.
Citing US prosecutors, AP reported both Midamar and related company Islamic Services of America had claimed that specially-trained Muslim slaughtermen always recited prayers at the slaughtering of the cattle, while Midamar had allegedly marketed itself as not employing the bolt stunning process - contrary to halal practices - to kill an animal with a steel rod through its brain.
But the prosecutors claimed that Midamar’s main beef supplier was a Minnesota plant that was not certified to export to Malaysia and Indonesia, while there were often no Muslim slaughtermen during the slaughter process, which used the bolt stunning method.
Midamar’s employees would then remove the labels on the Minnesota plant’s beef using nail polish remover, before putting on false labels saying the meat originated from another plant that has certificates to export to Malaysia and Indonesia, the prosecutors said.
Midamar would then place the false information about the beef’s origins in export forms and certificaties handed over to the US Department of Agriculture for approval, prosecutors said.
Yesterday, Midamar and its directors - Jalel and Yahya “Bill” Aossey - were charged with conspiracy to make and use false documents, selling mislabelled meat and carrying out mail and wire fraud. Another firm runned by the duo - Islamic Services of America - certifies beef that are imported into Malaysia, Indonesia, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and UAE, but was also reportedly charged in court.
The duo, who are brothers in their 40s, pleaded not guilty, while their 73-year-old father and Midamar founder William Aossey Jr last week entered a not guilty plea last week, AP said.
The firm’s lawyer Michael Lahammer said Midamar stands by its four decades of “stellar record” in exporting quality products and would fight the charges, saying the firm had corrected labelling issues in 2010, adding that the charges go against the separation of church and state principle in the US Constitution.
“The government has no right to regulate what is a religious matter,” Lahammer was quoted saying by AP.
Midamar said halal auditors have checked its slaughtering methods for many years, while Islamic Services of America reportedly said its operations would not be affected by “allegations, implications or inferences of any improprieties”.
Syed Rasheeduddin Ahmed, the Muslim Consumer Group for Food Products president, reportedly said the charging of the beef supplier will add to Muslims’ suspicion when buying food that is certified as halal.
