July 20, 2006 

Canada fines exporter for fake certificates

A Canadian poultry exporter has been fined a total of CN$100,000 (US$88,195) for falsifying testing certificates.

Bruce Arabsky, on behalf of Superior Poultry Processors Ltd. and Hallmark Poultry Processors Ltd., pleaded guilty this month to violating four counts of the Meat Inspection Act. A fine of CN$25,000 (US$22,041) was imposed for each count.

Arabsky had submitted 31 falsified certificates of analysis to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) for poultry being exported to South Africa over the past two years. The certificates of analysis, which are required by the CFIA before export certificates are authorised, falsely stated that the poultry products had been tested for Salmonella enteriditis and Salmonella typhimurium.

Arabsky had been in charge of all exports of poultry products for Superior and Hallmark since 1992.