The confiscation of 7,500 cans of expired baby milk by municipal inspectors in Jeddah on Sunday was a laudable action, particularly as the criminal operation was uncovered because of information supplied by a local resident. Reports said that the municipal inspectors raided a small house in Jeddah's Al-Thalibah district after getting a call from a citizen who noticed suspicious activities in the house, which was then placed under surveillance. The successful operation demonstrates that members of the public can be reliable partners of the authorities in preventing crime or any wrongdoing if they stay vigilant and report any suspicious activity or person in the neighborhood. If that particular citizen had not made a report, the 7,500 cans of expired milk would have found their way to the marketplace endangering the health of infants. Therefore a word of praise for that citizen is in order. The Saudi Gazette report said the confiscated cans of milk came from other countries. The raiding team found equipment used to change the expiry date to 2012. It is unfortunate that three African nationals who were seen at the premises were able to flee. Authorities said such tampering with expired goods is a crime punishable by a fine of SR500,000 and imprisonment, aside from publishing the violator's name in the newspaper. Hassan Ghunaim, director of Al-Jami'an municipality, was quoted as saying that the municipality has enlisted the help of all relevant authorities to look for the people who attempted to falsify the expiry date of the canned milk so that they can be held accountable for the crime. He said the municipality has already sent a report to the Ministry of Commerce, which will summon the owner of the house for investigation. We hope that the investigation will be able to unravel the complexity of the gang's operations and that those who were behind the falsification of the expiry dates will be apprehended so that they can be brought to the bar of justice. This will send a strong message to others involved in similar activities that crime does not pay. __
