March 18, 2011

Philippines seizes imported hot meat

In spite of the arrest of a suspected dealer and the seizure of five boxes and a sack of imported sliced pork meat, day, police and meat inspectors in Philippines continued to score against transporters of double dead meat locally known as "botcha" for the third consecutive day.

The goods seized at the public market were estimated to be worth PHP30,000 (US$686).

Mayor Christian Natividad said a joint team of city policemen, market marshals and meat inspectors conducted a surprise inspection at the Malolos City public market in Barangay San Vicente early Wednesday morning (Mar 16) and caught someone transporting several boxes and a sack containing tainted US sliced pork meat weighing approximately 300 kilogrammes.

The carton boxes showed markings that the sliced pork meat came from Illinois, US. It also bears the seal of the USDA, the mayor said.

Natividad said that the offender failed to show proper documents such as customs papers, tax payment receipts, certification from the National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS), business and sanitary permits.

He said the city market master only allows meat inspected by authorised government meat inspectors and certified safe by the NMIS.

The seized hot meats were immediately burned, Natividad added.

Last Tuesday (Mar 8), a team from the provincial "Task Force: Bantay Botcha" intercepted and seized 98 kilogrammes of double dead hog meat in Barangay Sta. Cruz in Sta. Maria town.

Last Monday (Mar 7), the task force also intercepted 392 kilogrammes of tainted chicken meat at a checkpoint in Barangay Poblacion, Obando town.