More than two tonnes of pork and pork-offal were seized in O’Chrov village of Poipet town and commune in Banteay Meanchey province.
The pork products were imported from Thailand without a permit, according to local police officers involved in the operation.
Poipet commune chief of police Im Sophearak told The Post that on July 12 a joint police taskforce raided a location there and confiscated a total of 2,113kg of pork and pork-offal that had been illegally imported from Thailand for distribution in the town’s market and to other markets in thethe oidr province.
“Those who imported these pork products did not have a business licence from relevant institutions,” he said.
According to Sopheara, the pork products included 28kg of pig heads, 564kg of legs, 288kg of intestines, 450kg of stomach, 115kg of heart, and 136kg of tongue along with meat and offal mixed with head meat weighing 532kg.
The goods were confiscated by customs officials and are being retained at the provincial Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.
A representative of the product owner was summoned by the animal production and livestock officials for questioning.
Provincial agriculture department director Pang Vannaseth confirmed on July 13 that they are building a case file for referral to court for further action in this matter.
“The evidence was confiscated and is temporarily being stored at the office of animal production and livestock. It is scheduled for incineration because the meat and offal are damaged,” he said.
Vannaseth called on wholesalers of all kinds of livestock and meat products to register their businesses properly and refrain from attempting to sell meat products that have not been inspected for quality or safety, whether domestically produced or imported.
Doing business without a permit or certification from a professional institution is against the law, he said.
