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Official sources in Irbid have revealed the full details of a major commercial fraud case involving the seizure of approximately 5,000 tins of imported olive oil. Each 16-kilogram tin was prepared for sale under the guise of local 'Baladi' olive oil. The discovery occurred during a security raid, conducted alongside teams from the Jordan Food and Drug Administration (JFDA), on a farm located in the town of Hatem within the Bani Kenana district.
The investigation was launched after authorities spotted a vehicle belonging to the suspect unloading scrap materials and empty imported oil tins, leading to a surveillance operation that pinpointed the farm's location. Sources indicated that the suspect, who operates an olive press in the district, attempted to bury and hide the empty containers on his property using heavy machinery to evade detection.
Regarding the financial scale of the fraud, officials noted that while a tin of imported olive oil costs approximately 70 to 75 JOD, selling the seized quantity as local produce at prices between 100 and 120 JOD per tin would have generated total revenues of up to 600,000 JOD. This scheme could have yielded illegal net profits reaching 250,000 JOD, highlighting the significant financial motivation behind mislabeling imported oils.
Authorities have commenced the transport of the seized quantities under security escort for further legal processing. Meanwhile, coordination is underway with the Syndicate of Olive Press Owners to implement necessary sanctions and closures against the involved facility, as formal investigations continue to establish full legal accountability for all parties involved.
Source: Ad-Dustour