KUALA LUMPUR, May 13 ― The sale of water from the Zamzam Well in Mecca, Saudi Arabia is prohibited in Malaysia, the Health Ministry Director-General Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said today amid fears of counterfeit.

According to Dr Noor Hisham, any import of mineral water must go through strict certification, and anybody found guilty of selling the “Zamzam water” can be fined not more than RM5,000, jailed a maximum two years, or both under the Food Regulation Act 1985.

“As a result of our enforcement since 2012 across the country, RM30,098.30 worth of Zamzam water has been confiscated,” Dr Noor Hisham said in a statement.

“The Health Ministry is now stepping up our enforcement towards the sale of Zamzam water.”

The ministry is empowered to take action against Zamzam water under Section 4(1)(f) of the Food Act 1983, under a joint agreement with the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) and the Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry.

The mineral water from the sacred Zamzam Well is believed by many Muslims to be “holy water” that provides curative and miraculous properties.

The Saudi Arabia government only provides limited distribution of the water for personal consumption of Muslims who perform pilgrimage in Mecca, and does not export the water.

Despite that, the sale of water labelled as “Zamzam water” in Malaysia is a lucrative business, with Malay tabloid Harian Metro reporting on Monday that it is sold from RM6 for a 350ml bottle, which is more than twice the price of mineral water.

The paper also reported that laboratory tests in the Melaka Biotechnology Corp revealed that samples from at least three of the brands sold in the country were contaminated.

In 2011, UK-based BBC News reported that Zamzam water sold in the country contained high levels of arsenic and described as “poisonous” by Dr Duncan Campbell, the president of the Association of Public Analysts.

Using samples obtained from the original Zamzam Well, the BBC also found that the water from the well contains high levels of nitrate, potentially harmful bacteria, and traces of arsenic at three times the permitted maximum level in the UK.

Despite that, the Saudi Arabia government has refuted the report and insisted that “genuine” Zamzam water is not contaminated and is fit for human consumption.