Tehran, Nov 11, IRNA -- Chairman of Majlis Agriculture Commission Mashallah Hosseini here Sunday put the blame for the rotten meat controversy on smugglers, rejecting reports that certain state organizations and officials were behind the case.

Hosseini was speaking after Commission's Sunday session to debate the issue of rotten meat imports in a meeting that was also attended by ministers of agriculture jihad, commerce, finance and economy and deputy ministers of the interior, information, justice, and health.

The commission chairman said the issue of rotten meat had been a "pre-planned scheme", stressing that it had been originally started as a rivalry between two meat traders.

He further said the meat had been cargoed by fast boats to certain points in Iran's southern ports from where they had been distributed throughout the country in large quantities.

Hosseini added that the commission had called on the Judiciary and the judge into the case to seriously follow up the issue, and take required legal measures against the culprits.

He also urged the administration and the Judiciary to issue statements to inform the public of details of the case, and alleviate people's worries in that connection.

The commission chairman further said the contamination of the meat was not as dangerous as had been propagated in the media, and that it could be removed by cooking. He further added that the meat could be used in producing sausage and salami.

Hosseini said the Veterinary Organization has put the total volume of smuggled rotten meat at about 80 tons, but noted that the number could have been higher.

The organization had early October in a statement confirmed that rotten meat had been imported into the country without specifying the volume of the cargo, the importers, and the areas the meat had been distributed in.

The contradictory remarks regarding the issue have caused a sharp fall in the domestic demand for red meat. The drop in public demand for red meat has also forced sausage factories to decrease production by 50 percent.

The rotten meat, originated in India, had been initially imported from Persian Gulf countries, where it had been rejected for carrying the sarcosystis parasites.

The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, in a directive has called on the Judiciary to follow the case seriously, and has authorized the judge in the case to declare the death penalty for the culprits.

Several sausage factories and meat storage houses have so far been sealed off over the issue of rotten meat. The case is still under debate at the Majlis and the Judiciary.

Over 28 tons of imported contaminated meat seized in Hormuzgan

He told reporters that over 26.3 tons of the haul were red meat with chicken constituting the remaining. The biggest haul weighing 17 tons, was nabbed in Bandar Abbas on Oct 2.

Another batch of 6.4 tons of red meat was also seized in Bandar Abbas on September 18 and was later identified as buffalo meat, the provincial official stated.

He added that two smuggling ring' members have been arrested and sent to jail, adding, "They had shipped the contaminated meat by speed boats to Bandar Abbas coastline.

"Then, with the help of Afghan workers they loaded the cargo in several vans and took them to cold storage centers located in this southern port city," said Beheshtian adding, "Several stores selling the meat have also been shut-down."

He said that of the total amount of meat, originally purchased from the Persian Gulf state of Oman, some 210 kgs were seized at Bandar Abbas airport.

Elsewhere, the Majlis debated the issue on Sunday in an open session attended by some eight state, security and Judiciary officials related to the case.

The rapporteur of the Majlis Agriculture Commission, Khalil Aqaei, said that the session will try to find out how and in what quantities contaminated meat was imported into the country, and will announce the results of the proceedings.

He highlighted the need to address the root cause of the issue, stressing that the case stems from smuggling currently rampant in Iran.

The deputy from Meshkinshahr said the fact that all concerned officials say they are unaware of the details of the case is a sign that 'they are only trying to shift blame on others, or want to escape being target of a probe'.

Aqaei further stressed that if a serious campaign is launched the obscure points in the case would be revealed.

The Health Ministry recently reported that several hundred tons of contaminated frozen meat have been smuggled into Iran from remote southern ports, and have been distributed in at least 10 out of Iran's 28 provinces.

The meat, originated in India, had been initially imported by Persian Gulf countries, where they had been rejected for carrying the sarcosystis parasites.

Meanwhile, contaminated chicken meat poisoned 111 people, 22 of them reported in critical condition, the Persian daily Resalat said last week.

Minister says contaminated meat was smuggled

Hojjati told reporters that the gang, involved in the smuggling, has been identified and some of its members have been arrested.

He said details would be revealed once investigation is complete.

The minister was speaking to reporters on sidelines of a panel discussion on the contaminated meat case, attended by Majlis Agriculture Commission, Minister of Economy and Finance Tahmasb Mazaheri, Minister of Commerce Mohammad Shariatmadari, Chief of Iran's Customs Administration Masood Karbasian and officials from the ministries of health, information and justice.

The Health Ministry recently reported that several hundred tons of contaminated frozen meat were clandestinely imported into Iran from remote southern ports, and distributed in at least 10 out of Iran's 28 provinces.

The meat, originated in India, had originally been imported by Persian Gulf countries, where they had been rejected for carrying the sarcosystis parasites.

The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, in a directive called on the Judiciary to follow the case seriously, and has authorized the judge to declare death penalties for the culprits.