UK: Distribution boss fined after running illegal meat processing plant

A distribution boss has been fined £10,000 and given a suspended sentence after running an illegal meat processing plant where two tonnes of chicken were found to be unfit for human consumption.

Majid Zaman, 34, from Halifax, West Yorkshire, attempted to hide his involvement in the operation in Bradford.
Majid Zaman, 34, from Halifax, West Yorkshire, attempted to hide his involvement in the operation in Bradford.

Majid Zaman, 34, from Halifax, West Yorkshire, attempted to hide his involvement in the operation in Bradford.

The site, Unit 2 at the Iron Works on Bowling Back Lane, was raided by the Food Standards Agency, Bradford Council environmental health officers and Home Office Immigration Enforcement on September 3, 2013.

At the sentencing at Bradford Crown Court today, Recorder George Cook said the lack of records made it impossible to know where the meat had gone.

Zaman was found guilty of a dozen hygiene and food safety offences at the end of his five-day trial last year and was sentenced to nine months in jail suspended for a year.

He has also been ordered to do 250 hours unpaid work for the community and to pay £10,000 towards the costs of the investigation and prosecution, which cost nearly £40,000 in total.

During the trial, the court heard that Zaman runs Halifax meat distributor Shariah Foods but looked to hide his involvement in the plant through a series of addresses in connection with his business.

When health officers raided the site, they found large bins containing animal by-product were leaking and the premises was described as ‘dirty’.

The court also heard that knives used to cut the chicken were left on the floor.

Chickens were being de-boned at the time of the raid with four men working in the plant.

Officers also found the site had a separate refrigerator business operating at the same time.