Think that nobody in the right mind would ever try to fake Malaysia’s favourite chocolate-y drink?
Think again!
Last week, the Domestic Trade, Cooperatives, and Consumerism Ministry (KPDNKK) organised a raid on a bungalow in Mantin, Negeri Sembilan, and it turned up 225 packages of the fake product ready to be sold, along with several barrels containing the chocolate drink powder. Considered an illegal activity, there was even a video showing the production of the fake MILO drink which shows 2 employees filling cocoa powder into several green MILO packagers in a room.
The video was posted up on YouTube by one Nithyananthem Karuppiah and it has since gone viral, garnering more than 14,000 views. In case you missed it, here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8dQHXtrNhs
As such, MILO Malaysia has urged its customers to recognise genuine MILO by uploading an image to help people differentiate between the original and fake product. Parent company Nestle Malaysia also issued a statement on its official Facebook page asking the public to be careful and to be savvy when buying the product.
The statement said:
Dear fans, Nestlé Malaysia has been alerted that the authorities have found counterfeit versions of MILO packaging and MILO powder being produced in Negeri Sembilan. Please be assured that we are working very closely with the relevant authorities especially the Ministry of Domestic Trade, Co-operatives and Consumerism to ultimately curb this matter as the safety and quality of our products is a non-negotiable priority of Nestlé.
Nestlé takes this issue very seriously as counterfeiting of products is an illegal activity that deliberately misleads the public. If you believe you have purchased counterfeit MILO or have any enquiries with regards to this matter, please contact our Consumer Service Centre at 1800-88-3433.
Based on a report by Sinar Harian, Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry on Friday (13th March) seized RM250,000 worth of fake MILO products at an elite residential area in Mantin, Negeri Sembilan. Fake MILO in hundreds of thousands? It’s no wonder it’s considered a crime!
State chief enforcer Saifulbahri Abdul Kadir revealed that the raid was conducted after receiving many complaints from members of the public.
“We believe that the fake Milo is ready to be distributed in the state and nearby areas,” he said
A little after the statement was released, MILO Malaysia uploaded on its official Facebook page a handy image that will help MILO fans identify fake products. It said, “The original MILO packaging is machine packed and cut. As such the edges on the top of the original pack will not have perfect perforation.”
Take heed, people:
Sources: Nestle Malaysia’s Facebook page, MILO Malaysia’s Facebook page, Astro Awani, TRP, FMT.
