Court Jails Restaurant Owner for 4 Months over ‘Maggots Tagine’ Incident

Morocco’s Court of First Instance in Azilal has sentenced a restaurant owner in the Ouzoud Falls region to four months in prison and a fine of MAD 25,000 ($2,540) for breaching food safety rules and selling food unfit for human consumption.

Rabat – Morocco’s Court of First Instance in Azilal has sentenced a restaurant owner in the Ouzoud Falls region to four months in prison and a fine of MAD 25,000 ($2,540) for breaching food safety rules and selling food unfit for human consumption.

Last month, the restaurant owner was arrested after a video went viral on the internet featuring a couple complaining about being served a tagine dish with meat containing live maggots.

Shortly after the video was posted, national police in the Azilal region received a complaint from the couple. Authorities ordered the closure of the restaurant for inspection to confirm the incident.

Prior to his arrest, the owner headed to local news outlets to defend his business. He claimed that his restaurant respects strict safety standards and offers dishes prepared with fresh ingredients in the most hygienic conditions.

The owner, who has been running his food business for more than 40 years, accused the couple of bringing the tainted meat with them to ruin his restaurant’s great reputation.

Many social media users sided with the restaurant owner, saying that the couple, who are bloggers, wanted to go viral and grow their platform on Youtube at the expense of the restaurant’s reputation.

Others, meanwhile, denounced the apparent negligence of the restaurant and called on authorities to interfere in protecting consumers’ health. Many demanded frequent health inspections of restaurants and fast-food places across Morocco, especially with the summer season approaching.

Following the “Tagine of maggots” incident, an online campaign under the hashtag #سر_مهني (Arabic for “professional secret”) gained considerable attention among Moroccan internet users.

Using the widely circulated hashtag, workers and professionals, especially in the food industry, have revealed shocking food safety practices in the workplace.

Shocked by the testimonies, Moroccans have called on the country’s National Office for Food Safety (ONSSA) to open an investigation regarding the poor-quality production and breaches of food safety standards in companies and businesses across Morocco.