A food safety incident has emerged in the Berat region of Albania, involving the illegal reintroduction of 10 tons of pesticide-contaminated mandarins into the local market. This followed their rejection by Croatian authorities due to high levels of the banned pesticide Fosmet. The Berat Prosecutor's Office has detained three individuals: Elton Tafa, a farmer who supplied the contaminated fruit; Arben Dyli, an administrator of a collection and export center; and Elson Tahiraj, an inspector at the Regional Directorate of Veterinary and Plant Protection. They face charges of abuse of duty, violation of hazardous substance regulations, production and sale of harmful food products, and food fraud.
Investigations revealed that a shipment of 21,593 kg of mandarins exported to Croatia contained Fosmet residues of 0.075 mg/kg, surpassing the legal limit of ≤ 0.01 mg/kg. Croatian authorities rejected the shipment, citing health risks, and returned it to Albania. Instead of following safety protocols for destruction, the contaminated mandarins were illegally reintroduced into the local market. Elton Tafa claimed the shipment was discarded in Dimal Municipality, but inspections found no evidence of disposal, raising suspicions of resale.
Further complicating the situation, Elson Tahiraj allegedly provided exporters with blank phytosanitary certificates, enabling them to falsify documentation and bypass safety regulations. These actions allowed the sale of toxic products, posing health risks. The Berat Prosecutor's Office continues to investigate potential additional involvement in the scheme. The arrested individuals will face court proceedings, while public concern grows over food safety regulations in Albania. Authorities face pressure to enhance inspections and prevent future incidents.
Source: Euro News