Saudi Gazette report
JEDDAH — A total of 15,376 kg of “silent killer” aluminum phosphide has been confiscated from various sales outlets in the city. Penal actions have been taken against a number of warehouses, a veterinary pharmacy and a transport firm for stocking the deadly chemical in violation of the rules. These outlets have been closed and those involved in the sale of the pesticide have been transferred to the Bureau of Investigation and Public Prosecution, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The Jeddah governorate has warned owners and workers of all shops, companies, firms, warehouses, distribution offices, cleaning and pesticide establishments, as well as citizens and expatriates against using or selling the chemical. It urged people to inform the authorities if anyone was found stocking or selling this killer chemical as a pesticide.
Inspectors from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and the concerned government bodies will continue intensified crackdown on shops selling pesticides containing aluminum phosphide. Instant action will be taken against violators of the regulations with closure of shops and other facilities, besides taking stringent punitive measures against all those involved in the sale of the chemical, the governorate sources have said.
Last week, an Afghan girl died and six Saudis got hospitalized in Jeddah after inhaling the chemical, which produces the highly toxic phosphine gas. The chemical, which was hitherto commonly available in the market as a pesticide, is known for its toxicity to humans and animals. Aluminum phosphide tablets are widely being used to fumigate households despite an official ban on the sale of the product. It has resulted in several deaths in the past.
The ministry announced earlier that its officials were carrying out raids on pesticide shops across the Kingdom to ascertain that they are not selling pesticides containing aluminum phosphide.
In another development, officials from the mayoralty and other concerned government agencies in Abha have destroyed more than three million CDs, cassettes and other information materials that were seized during raids over the past six months.
Punitive measures have been taken against the violators, Hamad Al-Dosary, general supervisor of the branch of the Ministry of Culture and Information in Asir, said.
