Individual detained for marketing tank water as Zamzam in Sharjah
Sharjah, UAE – The Sharjah City Municipality has shut down an unauthorized water bottling operation in one of the city's neighborhoods. The operation was discovered to be illegally filling plastic bottles with tank water and falsely marketing them as Zamzam water to unsuspecting customers, all in clear violation of regulations.
In a joint operation between the Inspection Department and the Health Control and Safety Department, the offending residence was raided. During the operation, authorities seized numerous plastic bottles, cartons, and other evidence of fraudulently labeled Zamzam water. The individual running the operation was apprehended on-site.
Upon further investigation, it was revealed that the operation had been using the name of a legitimate water trading company, R.T. Mineral Water Trading, for financial fraud. This led to the revocation of the company's license by the Department of Economic Development. The case has since been handed over to Sharjah Police for further investigation.
Obaid Saeed Al Tunaiji, Director General of Sharjah City Municipality, stated that the municipality is dedicated to preventing harmful practices that endanger public health. The municipality operates around the clock, taking necessary legal and administrative action against anyone trying to deceive the public or cause harm.
Authorities urge the public to be cautious, especially with unlicensed products advertised on social media, and encourage reporting of any suspicious activities to the municipality’s call center (993).
The enforcement action underscores the importance of strict regulations tied to Zamzam water authenticity, particularly in Saudi Arabia during Hajj, where valid permits are mandatory for related activities, and violations can result in severe penalties including deportation and bans.
- The health-and-wellness aspect of the authenticity of Zamzam water is under scrutiny, as an illegal operation was found falsely marketing tank water as Zamzam, putting the health of customers at risk.
- Business regulations were violated in this case, as the offending operation used the name of a legitimate water trading company, R.T. Mineral Water Trading, for financial fraud.
- General-news outlets are advised to be vigilant when reporting on unlicensed food products, especially those advertised on social media, to prevent unsuspecting consumers from being misled and potentially harmed.
- In the realm of crime-and-justice, violating health and business regulations can lead to severe consequences, as the individual behind the fraudulent Zamzam operation was apprehended and the company's license was revoked.
