Malaysian cartel allegedly sold fake halal meat to Muslims for 40 years
- A local media investigation said the group smuggled meat from non-halal certified sources including China, Brazil, Canada and Ukraine
- Products such as kangaroo and horse meat were mixed with and sold as halal beef, said a New Straits Times report, which has also prompted a probe in neighbouring Singapore
For more than 40 years, the conspirators allegedly bribed senior officers from several government agencies to import meat from non-halal certified slaughterhouses including Brazil, Bolivia, Canada, China, Colombia, Mexico, Spain and Ukraine, according to the New Straits Times, which first reported the story.
Some of the imports included kangaroo and horse meat, which were then mixed with and sold as halal beef.
The only countries Malaysian companies are allowed to import from are Australia, Argentina, Brazil, India, South Africa, Pakistan, Japan, New Zealand and the United States, with imports handled by the Malaysia Islamic Development Department and Veterinary Services Department, the New Straits Times reported.
Halal certification confirms that products have been prepared in accordance with Islamic law, and it is a religious requirement for Muslims globally and in Malaysia, where they make up about 60 per cent of the population.
It is also big business: the country has been trying to become a global hub for the US$2.3 trillion international halal market. Currently it exports about US$9 billion in halal-certified products including food, cosmetics and pharmaceutical products to China, Singapore, the US, Japan and elsewhere.
The news reports did not identify any members of the cartel by name, and one has been arrested. Police have promised a sweeping investigation that will include every part of the smuggling, storage and processing chain.