Adulterated Oil Ring Dismantled: How Did It Operate for Three Years Undetected?

The Directorate General of Health Security (DGSS) has dismantled a clandestine network that produced and distributed adulterated cooking oil in Gabon for three years. Operating from the abandoned ruins of the former SOCIGA factory, the ring involved Chinese and Indian nationals who repackaged toxic oil into counterfeit brands such as Palm’or and Huile Rose. The products were sold across the country, posing serious health risks to consumers.

The operation was only exposed after women in their kitchens noticed abnormal foaming and odors in the oil. Their alerts prompted the DGSS to act, revealing a systemic failure in regulatory oversight. For three years, the network evaded customs, the AGASA food safety agency, and local authorities, raising questions about possible complicity or negligence.

Experts estimate that thousands of Gabonese have been exposed to harmful substances. The government has urged citizens to be vigilant, but critics argue this shifts responsibility from failing institutions. Demands are growing for judicial inquiries, severe penalties against importers and distributors, and compensation for victims.

This scandal underscores the fragility of food safety systems in Gabon, where informal markets thrive and regulatory agencies lack capacity. As the DGSS cracks down, the state faces mounting pressure to answer how this ‘poison in our plates’ went unnoticed for so long.

Article and image source: gabonews.com