Gozo agri-business guilty of selling mislabelled honey

61-year-old Michelina Enriquez and her two sons Jamie Charles, 32, and Simon Kris, 38 were convicted of selling honey imported from Sicily but marked as traditional Maltese honey.

Inspector Josric Mifsud charged the three relatives, all residing at San Lawrenz, Gozo, with counterfeit labelling, false publicity and selling produce which was not of the quality expected by the buyer.

Taking the witness stand, Emanuel Buhagiar from the Ministry for Resources and Rural Affairs confirmed that the ministry had received complaints that a company known as ‘Gozo Specialities’ was selling pre-packed honey under the pretension that it was traditional Maltese honey. The complaints were filed by people who raise bees.

“Honey is a very particular product and looked upon by many as having medicinal properties,” the witness explained.

Enlisting the help of honey expert Philip Camilleri, the witness went to Gozo and collected samples of the honey being sold by the Enriquez family. At the family’s residence and shop, the agricultural officers also noted a substantial number of honey pots, sun dried tomatoes and other products imported from Sicily.

Tests carried on the seized samples confirmed that the honey was not traditional Maltese honey but was imported from Sicily, known as Miele di eucalipto.

Michelina Enriquez claimed that the products found at her residence were leftovers from the time her husband had closed down his grocery. The shop was shut down four years ago. The elderly witness claimed she had no connection with the company ‘Gozo Specialities’ which was owned by her two sons Jamie Charles Enriquez and Simon Kris Enriquez.

The two sons also testified in this case claiming that ‘Gozo Specialities’ was not a registered company but just a brand name they used. Jamie Enriquez told the court that he imports honey from Sicily which is sold under the label ‘EC Honey’.

At the same time he also sells locally produced honey under the label ‘Malta Honey’. His evidence was corroborated by his brother who argued that the honey pot seized by the agricultural officers was a leftover from when his father closed down his grocery.

“There are a number of those pots, left outside in the sun gathering dust. Any honey residue in them is unusable as its consistency if gone since they are exposed to the elements,” he said. Both brothers confirmed that their mother was not involved in their business.

Magistrate Neville Camilleri ruled that the agricultural officers had collected samples from both the shop ran by Jamie Charles and the residence of his mother Michelina. “Tests confirmed that the honey found at the shop was the same as that found at the residence. The court has no reason to doubt that Sicilian honey was indeed being sold under the assumption that it was traditional Maltese honey.”

The court found the Enriquez brothers guilty of all charges. The two brothers were handed a six-month jail term suspended for a year. Their mother Michelina was convicted of being in possession of produce that was below standard. She was fined €700. The court also ordered that the accused pay all court fees related to the appointment of experts.