CCF officers take oaths to become judicial police at Phnom Penh Municipal Court on January 17. CCF
More than 160 civil servants took an oath of office and joined the Ministry of Commerce’s Consumer Protection, Competition and Fraud Repression Directorate-General (CCF) as judicial police. Their sworn duty is to manage the safety, hygiene and legitimacy of food in Cambodia.
The swearing-in ceremony took place on January 17, with the 165 officers who are assigned at the central level and Phnom Penh branches of the CCF.
According to a CCF social media post, the officials will enforce the Food Safety Law which was promulgated by the King in June last year, in accordance with Article 82 of the Criminal Code.
“According to Article 23 of the Food Safety Law, inspectors qualify as judicial police to investigate the offenses stipulated in this law,” it said.
Phan Oun, the government delegate in charge of the CCF’s directorate-general, told The Post that the officials were sworn in as police following an inter-ministerial prakas between the Ministry of Justice and the commerce ministry dated December 19. The prakas announced the decision to provide judicial powers to the CCF’s 406 food inspection officers.
He explained that the swearing-in ceremony was for central level officials and members of the CCF’s Phnom Penh office. More than 200 provincial branch officials will also be sworn in, in due course.
“Now that they are qualified and have judicial police powers, they will begin drafting new legal documents. They will also maintain an information campaign in order to ensure food business operators understand the law,” he said.
“They are also tasked with enforcing the law in a soft but firm manner. They will issue warnings to vendors who are not following legal guidelines. Should compliance not be reached, fines will follow,” he added.
According to Article 33 of the Food Safety Law, penalties range from written warnings and the suspension or revocation of a business license to fines and imprisonment.
The law covers all stages of the food production chain and sets the framework for ensuring the safety, quality, hygiene and legitimacy of food in Cambodia.
The law stipulates that food business operators must ensure that their food is safe, and suitable for human consumption. Any food safety issues must be immediately reported to the CCF.
