DEFRA increases efforts to stop illegal meats
stepped up with a new publicity drive at ports and airports, the UK
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said this week.
Efforts to stop illegal meats being brought into Britain are being stepped up with a new publicity drive at ports and airports, the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs ( DEFRA) said this week.
New hard-hitting posters are on display at ports and airports around the UK to warn travellers about what they can and cannot bring in, and the penalties they face for illegal imports.
At Heathrow Airport last week an exercise by customs and health officials resulted in the seizure of 315 kilogrammes of prohibited food produce. Passengers were checked going through customs controls, and some were found to be carrying illegal imports. Most of this was fish.
Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Margaret Beckett has already signalled that efforts will be increased to prevent illegal imports, and has called a high-level forum next month to agree further action.
Food and Farming Minister Lord Whitty said: "We recognise the strength of concern about illegal meat imports and we are acting to detect and to prevent these. Increased publicity to make people more aware of the dangers of bringing illegal foodstuffs into the UK is the latest step in a concerted effort to tackle the problem on several fronts.
We will continue to keep up the pressure."
