Jubilee Foods directors charged with agricultural fraud, deceiving consumers

Product turns out to be glucose and not honey, according to evidence presented in court.

11 December 2012, 12:00am
by Karl Stagno-Navarra

1 min read

An inquiry led by Magistrate Paul Coppini in Gozo has led to the criminal prosecution of the directors of Jubilee Foods in Gozo, who are facing charges for alleged agricultural fraud, and deceiving the consumers for selling glucose rather than the labelled 'Pure Gozo Honey'.

Alex and Mario Scicluna appeared before Magistrate Neville Camilleri at the Gozo Courts on 28 November, and were charged by Inspector Josric Mifsud for having produced a false agricultural product, based on the findings of a Court-appointed expert Geraldo Attard.

The Sciclunas, who are pleading not guilty to the charges, were questioned in January 2011 after Agriculture Department officials raided the Gozitano Complex in Xewkija, Gozo, elevated samples of the products they were packaging and taken for analysis by Court order.

The Agriculture Department investigated Jubilee Foods in the wake of numerous reports alleging fraudulent labelling of local and indigenous products, and raided a number of stores and hawkers on the Marsaxlokk open market.

The raid yielded samples of jars with local produce, which included some labelled as 'Pure Gozo Honey' produced by Jubilee Foods and Gozo Specialities.

Armed with a Magisterial Warrant, Agriculture Department officials raided Jubilee Foods in Xewkija and Gozo Specialities in San Lawrenz, elevated samples and handed them over to the Court-appointed expert for analysis.

The results allegedly indicated that the product was in fact glucose and not honey, and with barely a trace of pollens, which would constitute some form of honey.

Based on the expert's findings, Police issued charges against the Sciclunas of Jubilee Foods Ltd, and also issued similar charges against Simon Enriquez, and his mother Michelina for being in possession and retailing of alleged fraudulently labelled local produce.

The case continues next month.

More from Karl Stagno-Navarra

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A GOZITAN SHALL ALWAYS REMAIN A TWISTED BUSINESS MAN, PITY THIS DID NOT HAPPEN IN AMERICA OR CHINA BECAUSE ALL DIRECTORS OF JUBILEE WOULD HAVE BEEN HANGED OR ELECTROCUTED, IMAGINE THE DAMAGE IT WOULD HAVE CAUSED OR MAY HAVE CAUSED A DIABETIC PERSON THAT CONSUMED THIS PRODUCT, WITH THE POSSIBILITIES OF A HEART ATTACK THAT MAY KILL THE PERSON THINK, THE PUBLIC OUT THERE SHOULD NOT BE TALKING ABOUT THIS MATTER IN A LIGHT WAY BUT IN A CRIMINAL WAY. PIERRE GAFFIERO 243861M

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Till today honey is still advertised on Jubilee's website - see: http://jubileefoods.net/our-products/cat-jars/honey Furthermore the availability tab says: All honey is currently available? What is happening?

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fenea, you should have followed the logical reasoning throughout my comment. Hysterical, capital letters are no substitute for logically reasoned arguments. To recap, it is the policies exercised by whoever is managing whatever, that influence the behavior of those managed. That is THE POINT! Over these 25 years of Nationalist Governments, we have witnessed, and seen glorified, visibly lax attitudes and controls(in property development and tax matters, say, amongst others), lavish money spinning wasteful projects by Government departments and Public Authorities (e.g. Valletta's ruination), money-no-problem attitudes (ten million here or there), corruption and thick rich black smoke wherever one looks (multiple examples to chose from), sleaze and graft (how many within the public sector do you see working diligently at their jobs?), nepotism and generally throwing money at problems because of the manager's inability to solve said problems; and therefore masking them under a delusion of well being meant solely to gain time and mask the truth. Do you believe all this was bypassed and went unnoticed by citizens? These same citizens have decided to take their share before the politicians and authorities vanish all into thin air. The PN's legacy is a national debt of €6.5 Billion, a sell off of national assets and an albatross hanging around the economy's neck worth 40% of the working population still employed within the public sector. Ergo.....

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@BETTER FUTURE......KIF F'KULL RAPPORT JEW STORJA TRIDA IDDEFFESS LIL GONZIPN. TAF TIKKUMMENTA FUQ RAPPORT MINGHAJR MA IDDAHHAL IL POLITIKA FIN NOFS. Dan huwa qerq u il konsumatur ghandu jigi protett min dawn in negozjanti.

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I still have some of these foods in the kitchen. How can I get a refund?

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Negozji qarrieqadan it-tip ghandhom jinalghqu u l-propjetarji mitfugha l-habs. Dan huwa l-ghar reklam lil industrija lokali.

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This GonziPN socialist policy of "Money no problem" practised without restrain to hoodwink the Maltese citizen with the aura of "feel good", has rot the nation's values to the core. No wonder paid spinners have circled this administration with wire fencing made up of stories claiming fanciful statistics.

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Shame, basta vazett sabieh, publicita fina u jqarqu bil konsumatur. Dan huwa serq u l-awtorita ghanda tara, kif zejt Taljan huwa taparsi Malti jew ghawdxi qed nirreferi ghal bosta ditti ohra li kull ma jghamlu huwa dak imsejjah private labeling. Shame on Jubilee li jippretendu li jghaddu lill kullhadd biz zmien

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Tal-Murella have never had anything decent except an orchestrated hype on their Jubilee franchise. People who really understand Gourmet know what I mean. You can't even get a good cappuchino let alone high street gourmet products.