GUANGDONG Consumer Council has taken a restaurant chain to court for knowingly selling unsafe seafood.

Shenzhen Fishing Boat 79 Catering Service Co. Ltd., which operates eight Fishing Boat 79 restaurants across Shenzhen, was sued Monday for continuing to serve diners harmful sea products in 2016 even after they had received test reports from the regulators showing their babylon shells and other products contained chloramphenicol.

The company was found continuing to purchase Babylon shells and other seafood from the same supplier for an unspecified period of time and using the food at the company’s restaurants after law enforcement officers found the products contained the illegal drug in multiple inspections. As it was difficult to ascertain the number and identities of the victims, the council demanded 195,900 yuan (US$28,309) in compensation, 10 times the total value of the harmful products. It also asked the court to order that the company publish a letter of apology at least 10 times on the front pages of four major Shenzhen newspapers.

The compensation will be paid to victims who will come forward to prove they were harmed by the products. If no victims lodge claims, the money will go to the State coffers.

Shenzhen Intermediate People’s Court has accepted the case. The Shenzhen Municipal Procuraterate has given its support for the council to file a lawsuit.

Yang Shuna, secretary general of Guangdong Consumer Council, said the case is different from previous lawsuits as the defendant in the latest case is a large catering company with an ongoing business, while the previous lawsuits targeted individuals.

The amount demanded in compensation and the demand of 10 publications of apology also contributed to the rarity of the case, Yang said.  

(SD News)