Support The Moscow Times!

Investigators Open Criminal Case Over Omsk Milk Bath Incident

One of the photographs of the incident at the cheese factory.

Investigators have opened a criminal case against staff at a string-cheese factory in Omsk after evidence of gross hygiene violations was uncovered.

Torgovy Dom Syra, or Trading House of Cheese, first came under suspicion when photos of staff members cavorting in a tub full of milk at the factory appeared on social media website VK.

Inspections showed that the factory's production practices did not meet basic health and safety requirements, Investigative Committee spokesman Vladimir Markin said Friday in a statement.

The Federal Consumer Protection Service on Thursday banned the sale of the company's products and investigators have asked people to report any cases of food poisoning caused by its products.

The factory, which has also been temporarily closed, has churned out more than 49 tons of cheese so far this year and its products were stocked in stores in 14 Russia cities, Markin said.

The suspects face a maximum of two years in jail if convicted on charges of manufacturing products that don't meet the required sanitary standard.


Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more