Consumer agency to charge supermarket owner for ‘kidnaping’ inspectors

Santo Domingo.- The consumer protection agency (ProConsumidor) will today Friday file charges against Supermercado Juan, in SanFrancisco de Macoris (central), where its inspectors were allegedly illegally heldwhen they tried to do their job.

The agency said the business was selling foods with expireddates and goods and diapers gnawed by rats, among other irregularities thatpose a threat to consumers’ health.

The complaint will be filed at 1pm today in San Francisco,said Pro Consumidor director Anina del Castillo, who on Thursday said inspectorswere verbally assaulted and locked within the supermarket, to prevent the confiscationof products including dented or rusty cans, among others.

She said the owner together with 15 armed people verbally abusedinspectors and locked them inside, posing a risk the their lives and safety andthe citizens who were at the site during the incident. “Only theprofessionalism and self-control of the inspectors prevented a tragedy.”