Food and Drug Department to take legal action against importers of expired goods

The Government Analyst Food and Drug Department (GA-FDD) says it has had reason to stop several containers of expired goods and others close to expiring from entering Guyana.

The Department is urging importers to ensure that their goods have at least seventy-five (75%) of their shelf life at the time of shipment. It said it has been frequently intercepting containers with some items already expired, while others had only a few days shelf life remaining.

In as recent as December 24, 2016, it was noted that a container was intercepted in which one item was found to be expired since June 02, 2016 and others on the November 19, and December 17, 2016. In addition, there were some items that were going to be expired in January of 2017.

The GA-FDD has promised to take a firm stance against such instances noting that it “will no longer facilitate assortment (separation) exercises at any port of entry, neither in importers’ bonds nor in their warehouses.”

Action will now be taken against importers who knowingly and deliberately perpetuate this practice of importing expired and or short-dated items.

“Such actions will not be limited to the Refusal of Entry only, but will also include legal  proceeding  against perpetrators” the department threatened.

It will continue to work in close collaboration with the Guyana Revenue Authority (Customs Department) to ensure Food Inspectors have easy and regular access to documents, records and containers with food destined to be used in the food processing and/ or fast food industry