By Abdulaziz Al-Rubaie
and Ashwaq Al-Tuwairgi
Okaz/Saudi Gazette
MAKKAH — The municipality here seized over 2,000 slaughtered sheep unfit for consumption amid reports that consumers are worried about ordering meat at restaurants.
A source said consumers are worried about rotten meat being used in restaurants.
“Consumers called for surveillance cameras to be installed on roads and in restaurants to ensure that the meat used is healthy and suitable for human consumption. Small and big restaurants are opting for cheap meat and consumers are worried the meat they are served is unsuitable for human consumption,” said the source.
The source also said meat is being smuggled especially during the Haj period when a large number of animals are slaughtered as a sacrifice for Haj.
“People purchase the sheep and go to Al-Muaisim Slaughterhouse in Makkah. The slaughtered meat is then left at the slaughterhouse and workers take it, skin it and sell it to restaurant owners. They transport the meat by dumping it on trucks or by carrying it on their shoulders,” said the source.
The source also said the meat is stored in residential buildings so the municipality does not find or confiscate it.
“The meat is then stored in refrigerators and smuggled outside of the city to other cities. A truck smuggling 700 slaughtered sheep to the Eastern Province from Makkah was seized last year. The municipality also seized another vehicle transporting smuggled meat from Al-Aziziyah District in Makkah to restaurants in Makkah itself,” said the source.
The source also said Makkah Al-Showqiyah Municipality seized 80 slaughtered sheep stored inadequately in an unlicensed kitchen.
“The kitchen was going to cook the meat and sell it to consumers and pilgrims. Makkah Al-Sharie Municipality shut down three randomly set up kitchens after seizing more than 200 sheep heads, 163 of which were inappropriately stored,” said the source.
The source also said the municipality also recorded violations committed by the workers running the kitchen as they were unlicensed and extremely unhygienic in the way they handled the meat.
Makkah Al-Aziziyah Municipality Services Director Emad Byoumi said the municipality runs intensive inspection campaigns during the Haj season.
“The truck that was seized in the area was carrying 750 sheep heads. The condition of the meat was unsuitable for human consumption and the truck had no licensing information on the meat or where it came from. The municipality destroyed all the meat and seized the truck,” said Byoumi.
Ali Abdulrahman said he has boycotted restaurants selling meat for more than five months because he does not trust the meat being served.
“Many of the people of Makkah avoid local restaurants for six months after Haj to ensure that the meat served is not smuggled and unsanitary. Restaurant owners buy the meat for around SR250 and sell it to consumers for SR850. We don’t trust restaurants during this period,” said Abdulrahman.
