Baghdad police shut flour factory for swapping food-aid flour with spoiled stock

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Baghdad Operations Command said security forces shut down a flour factory in the Fudhailiyah area in eastern Baghdad after determining it had replaced flour intended for food aid with stock unfit for human consumption. The command said inspections were carried out jointly by elements of the 1st Federal Police Division, Federal Police Intelligence, the Interior Ministry's Aid Unit and the Hunsaa Police Station, focusing on food warehouses and businesses found to be operating in violation of health standards. Five people were detained during the operation and 500 sacks of spoiled flour were seized, according to the statement. The factory was ordered closed, and the detained suspects along with the seized materials were handed over to the relevant authorities. Baghdad Operations Command said the investigation into the case is continuing. No further details on the suspects or the source of the original food-aid flour were immediately available.