Fish products laced with formalin seized

Two days after a notification was issued in Nagaland prohibiting the sale of formalin-laced fresh fish products, the Kohima district administration seized such products treated with preservatives, from four vehicles, worth about Rs 10 lakh.

Nagaland Food Safety Commissioner-cum-Commissioner and Secretary Himato Zhimomi on June 22 had prohibited the storage, distribution and sale of fresh fish products treated with formalin or other forms of preservatives in the state for a period of three months or till corrective measures were taken.

Crustaceans such as crab, lobsters and prawns were included among the fresh fish products in the notification.

Zhimomi had said that a fine of Rs 10 lakh with imprisonment under relevant sections of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 would be imposed on those found violating the order.

Officials from the district administration, Municipal Council and Health and Family Welfare intercepted the four vehicles transporting the fresh fish products and seized the four-wheelers, the police said.

On testing, the fish products were found to have been treated with formalin, the police said.

The drivers of the four vehicles along with the seized fish products were handed over to South Police Station in Kohima.

The fish products were disposed at the KMC dumping site in the presence of the Food Safety Commissioner.

The notification had said that fish vendors were found to be selling fish products, including crustaceans, in the state treated with formalin, which is highly toxic and injurious to health.