(Peterborough-NewsHalal- April 2017) Two man in UK`s Peterborough have been found guilty of a ‘halal meat scam’ which netted them over a quarter of a million pounds. During the opening of the trial, jurors were told food tests discovered turkey DNA in dishes which were supposed to be lamb.
The court was told how Trading Standards discovered the alleged fraud during an investigation into the national horse meat scandal in 2013. They were supplying shops and restaurants in the East Midlands and beyond. The operation was on a grand scale, involving 100 tonnes of turkey.
Mahmudur Rohman, 46, and Kamal Rahman, 54, sold over 100 tonnes of turkey mince which they claimed was halal lamb to butchers and restaurants over a 21-month period using their company Dutch Bangla Direct Ltd.
A number of British newspapers reported that the men used Dutch Bangla Direct Ltd as a front to import 116 tonnes of turkey, mainly from Germany for £1 and £1.50 per kilo for the meat.
They then sold the the non halal turkey as ‘halal lamb’ for between £4.75 and £7 per kilo to unsuspecting restaurants and butchers, netting the crooks a whopping £250,000 in profit.
Trading Standards discovered the alleged fraud during an investigation into the national horse meat scandal in 2013. The firm’s boss was Mahmudur Rohman.
Jurors were told food tests discovered turkey DNA in dishes which were supposed to be lamb.
Prosecutor Kevin Barry said at an earlier court hearing: “It’s alleged the defendants conspired together to commit fraud in relation to the dishonest supply of turkey meat which they pretended was lamb.
“They were supplying shops and restaurants in the East Midlands and beyond. “The operation was on a grand scale, involving 100 tonnes of turkey.
“The cost of turkey is very much lower (than lamb) and profits generated from deceiving customers was in the hundreds of thousands of pounds.”
He added: “The estimated turnover was between £500,000 to £800,000 generated by selling turkey as lamb and more than half of that would have been profit to Dutch Bangla.
“Turkey meat at wholesale level commands much lower prices and by selling turkey as lamb the defendants were able to charge around double of what it was actually worth.
Rohman, who was the sol director of the Peterborough-based firm, was on trial along with Mohammed Anwarul Hoque, (56), and his 25-year-old son Mohammed Zunaid Hoque both of Uplands Road, Oadby, Leicester, who were cleared of all charges. They pair is expected to be sentenced on April 11.
