It was notably opened on the counts of “deception aggravated by the danger to human health” and “endangering the lives of others”.
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New legal front in France for Ferrero. A preliminary investigation has been opened following complaints denouncing contamination with salmonella after the consumption of Kinder products, announced the Paris prosecutor’s office, Thursday, June 9.
This investigation was opened on the counts of “deceit aggravated by the danger to human health”, “involuntary attacks on physical integrity” and “endangering the lives of others”, after a complaint filed on May 19 by the Foodwatch France consumer association.
In mid-April, 150 cases of salmonellosis had been detected in nine European countries including France, mainly in children under 10 years old. Some 3,000 tons of Kinder products have been withdrawn from the market. Salmonellosis causes symptoms similar to those of sometimes acute gastroenteritis: diarrhea and abdominal cramps, mild fever, even vomiting. No deaths have been reported.
Six searches were carried out on Wednesday in Belgium and Luxembourg in the Belgian justice investigation into the salmonella poisoning which splashes Ferrero, announced the prosecution of Arlon (southern Belgium). One of these police raids targeted the Ferrero factory in Arlon, where the scandal started that led to the withdrawal of thousands of tons of Kinder products. “Documents and computer equipment” were seized but there were no arrests, said Anne-Sophie Guilmot, spokesperson for the prosecution of the Belgian province of Luxembourg.
The investigation led since April 19 by an investigating judge from Arlon aims to determine the responsibilities in this contamination with possible shortcomings in terms of communication to the health authorities.