CITCO shuts down fly-by-night noodle factory
The upstairs of this two storey concrete structure situated at the corner of King Street and Euphrates Avenue looks like a normal residence, but its occupants were doing more than just living at the location. Today members of the Belize City Council’s Sanitation and Environmental Department along with the police and Public Health officials literally had to force themselves inside the building after repeated requests to the residents from authorities to conduct an inspection were turned down. According to enforcement officer Kariem Hafiya they received information that the first floor of the building was being used simultaneously as a residence and pasta factory. Hafiya says the operation was not only illegal but the conditions were unsanitary.
Kariem Hafiya, Enforcement Officer, Belize City Council
?They were baking noodles what they make Chow Mein out of. It seems to be that they?re were a major distributor to all these Chinese stores. And they also made sweet bread that is sold in various grocery stores.?
Jacqueline Woods
?What was unsanitary? Tell us what were the conditions.
Kariem Hafiya
?For instance as you can see they don?t have a ventilation system and also inside stove is close to the restroom area and this is also a living quarters at the same time. So they live amongst the same food that they produce inside, which is very unsanitary. So it?s a major break through for us at the Belize City Council.?
?We had to force entry by cutting the gate, cut some burglar bars and used force to break the door down because they refused us access to the building.?
Jacqueline Woods
?Will they be allowed to continue operating? What will now happen to these people??
Kariem Hafiya
?Well these people will be charged for numerous things. They don?t have no food handlers? certificate, no trade license and this place was not even registered as a business. This is permanent. There is no way that they can actually receive a license in the near future based on this kind of offence. And we?d just like to inform the public that once you are doing anything pertaining to this situation, you will be caught eventually because we work in full force.?
All those persons who were present at the time of the search were taken over to the police station where they will be charged. Hafiya says they have not yet determined exactly who was conducting business at the establishment and adds that the ground floor bakery is not connected to the business in question and is operating quite legally.
