Fraud, manipulation at fish market irk Sharqawis

Residents in Dammam and Alkhobar, popularly known as Sharqawis, complained of widespread fraud at local seafood markets and restaurants, claiming retailers have been importing fish from outside the Kingdom, marketing supplies as local, and selling them at inflated prices.
They called on the municipality to exert more control over the markets and apply sanctions against violators as per regulations.
“Retailers display fish at unjustifiable prices,” explained Khaled Al-Dosari, a resident of Alkhobar. “Grouper is typically sold at no more than SR50 per kilo, whereas Arabian Grouper is sold for SR150 per kilo,” he said, adding that the fraud is evident and retailers are cheating customers into thinking imported fish is local.
Fahd Al-Khalidi said retailers imported fish from Oman and Pakistan and labeled them as though they were local and fresh. “Some workers at these shops pour crushed ice on fish in order to cover signs of damage, as well as dye the gills with red food coloring to make fish look fresh,” he said.
Residents of the area said restaurants and seafood shops also take advantage of the rainy and windy weather to increase the price of fish, although the fish is usually of poor quality.
Alkhobar Municipality head Essam Al-Mulla said monitoring and inspection measures were being carried out at fish markets and restaurants and that violators of regulations would be fined and penalized.
He said the municipality was committed to such inspections and would carry out all efforts to ensure retailers and facilities were operating according to the regulations.
Authorities aim to eliminate all negative activities in the market to ensure products sold to citizens and residents are of the highest quality, he added.