Two executives from a Cardiff based food distribution company were sentenced for deceiving customers by selling regular chicken meat fraudulently labeled as halal to restaurants and takeaways throughout south Wales.

Helim Miah, the manager of Universal Foods Wholesale, received a prison sentence of four years and eight months for fraudulent business practices and violating insolvency regulations. His associate Noaf Rahman was given a two-year suspended sentence and must complete 150 hours of community service.

Investigation and Discovery

The convictions resulted from an investigation by Cardiff and the Vale Shared Regulatory Services into Universal Foods (Wholesale). The probe revealed that while the company marketed chicken as halal-certified to Indian restaurants and takeaways, their suppliers frequently provided non-halal meat instead.

The case began when authorities confiscated nearly 2,840 kilograms of frozen meat from the company’s Grangetown location in January 2019. Investigators discovered numerous violations, including unsanitary food handling, evidence of meat being thawed and refrozen, and chicken products that had expired two years earlier.

Additional problems included inadequate temperature monitoring, signs of pest infestation, and the transportation of unlabeled meat in dirty, non-refrigerated vehicles unsuitable for food transport.

Trial and Defense

During the trial, Miah argued he only managed the wholesale operation using pre-processed halal chicken, claiming Rahman’s separate company handled all on-site processing. Despite his denials of direct involvement, Miah was convicted on 10 charges including dishonest business operations, fraudulent halal labeling, incorrect expiry date marking, hygiene violations, and failure to maintain proper food traceability.

Court Judgment and Community Impact

Judge Vanessa Francis noted that customers would have been appalled to learn the meat wasn’t actually halal, emphasizing that the confiscated meat was so unsafe it could only be used for pet food rather than human consumption.

Cardiff Council representative Councillor Norma Mackie highlighted the particular impact on the Muslim community, noting that halal consumption is religiously mandated and that such fraud demonstrates complete disrespect for the community. She stressed that the case underscores the need for better accountability in halal certification, increased consumer awareness, and more rigorous verification of halal authenticity claims.

Original Article:

The Caterer. (2025, July 29). Food wholesaler jailed for hygiene and fraud offences in South Wales. The Caterer. https://www.thecaterer.com/products–equipment/food-wholesaler-jailed-for-hygiene-and-fraud-offences-in-south-wales