(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) The Umm Al Quwain Municipality has ordered the closure of a supermarket after it was found selling supari, type of cheap tobacco, to schoolchildren.
After being alerted about the outlet's activities, the public health and environment section at the UAQ municipality, sent a team of inspectors. "The supermarket proved to have been selling dried Indian tobacco, locally known as supari, which is usually mixed with other materials, and chewed," said Ghanim Ali Saeed Ghanim, head of public health and environment section, UAQ Municipality.
According to lab tests, suparis affect students' health and concentration, he added. "The said tobacco is mixed with unidentified materials, which may be pose a health risk."
The UAQ municipality has received several complaints from a number of schools here about the issue, Ghanim underlined. "Staff inspectors raided the supermarket and seized the banned tobacco."
A hefty fine (undisclosed) was also slapped on the owner of the outlet.
The municipality collects random samples on a daily basis from supermarkets and eateries to ensure they don't contain banned items, Ghanim added.
Ahmed Shaaban Originally from Egypt, I have been in Dubai since December 2005. Before coming here, I worked as an English language instructor, chief En/Ar translator, proofreader, reporter in Egypt and Qatar. I have also worked as a reporter, correspondent and simultaneous translator with two satellite channels in Dubai. I have a masters degree in media, Cairo University, 2014, a bachelor degree in English language and translation, Ain Shams University, Cairo, 1996, and three post-graduate diplomas in English language and Instruction. With over 19 years of experience in translation, interpretation, EFL instruction, and reporting. I am interested in technology, aviation, politics, as well as community, parliament and defence issues. I enjoy reading, writing, exercising, and surfing the web. Share More > Vote var UNIQUE_ARTICLE_ID = "EB49620B-699E-434E-9EDE-3BD55A6D4B03"; var SECTION_TAGS = "tag1, tag2, tag3"; var ARTICLE_TITLE = "Supermarket%20in%20UAE%20shut%20for%20selling%20%27supari%27%20to%20kids%0D%0A"; var GA_CODE = "UA-819330-1"; var VUUKLE_API_KEY = "841fb3e5-977f-4e2e-be39-fae608323cc5"; var TRANSLITERATE_LANGUAGE_CODE = "en"; var VUUKLE_COL_CODE = "646464"; var VUUKLE_COMMENT_COUNT = 1; VUUKLE_EMOTE_SIZE = "40px"; VUUKLE_EMOTE_IFRAME = "120px"; var VUUKLE_STORIES_TIME = 0; var ARTICLE_AUTHORS = btoa(encodeURI( '[{"name": "name one", "email":"","type": "internal"}, {"name":"name two", "email":"","type": "external"}]')); create_vuukle_platform(VUUKLE_API_KEY, UNIQUE_ARTICLE_ID, "0", SECTION_TAGS, ARTICLE_TITLE, TRANSLITERATE_LANGUAGE_CODE , "1", "", GA_CODE, VUUKLE_COL_CODE, ARTICLE_AUTHORS);
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