Scores of food vendors who owe millions of dollars in outstanding health violations are still peddling their greasy grub to the public by cooking up ways to avoid paying, The Post has learned.
One vendor, Mohammed Elshamy, owed $47,480 for 64 unpaid violations, which should have shut down his kitchen on wheels. But instead of submitting his biennial license renewal — a process that would have clued regulators in to his deadbeat status — he simply filed for a new license, city officials claim.
Mobile vendors can’t get their licenses renewed if they rack up more than four unpaid fines, but Elshamy’s new license was approved by the city the same month he applied. He then racked up six more violations before the health cops caught up with him.
An administrative-law judge tossed his license last February — but he still served unsuspecting customers for months.
“Vendors have tried to get a license under a new name rather than fix violations or pay accumulated fines, and detecting this type of fraud is difficult,” the Department of Health admitted in a statement.
The tactic is not just unhealthful, but costly, too. Last year, the agency imposed $4.8 million in fines on vendors, but collected only $1.2 million — just 25 percent of the total.
The types of violations issued to Elshamy were not immediately available, but violations can include improper food storage at unsafe temperatures, unsanitary conditions and handling of food, and carts operating without permits or licenses. Unlicensed carts are confiscated when discovered.
The city is pledging a crackdown. The DOH, in conjunction with the NYPD, implemented a new license policy this month that issues violations to the holder of the permit instead of to the vendor who operates the cart or truck.
Holding permit holders accountable will make it easier to enforce the law because they don’t want to lose their business, health officials said.
“The new policy will motivate permit holders to ensure that vendors who work for them are handling and serving food safely,” the DOH said.