Customs keeps tight watch over contaminated meat

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) is keeping a tight watch on contaminated meats from Brazil valued at some P20 million to prevent them from being spirited out of the pier zone and ultimately finding their way to the local market.

BOC chief Renato Ampil directed the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS) to assign one guard to each of the 11 reefer vans of frozen pork sides, bellies and whole chicken until the loading and departure of the carrier vessel."

Collector Jaime Maglipon, special assistant and chief of the Special Projects Team (SPT) which seized the goods, said that the shipments were banned "due to the prevalence of the foot-and-mouth disease (FMD)" in Brazil.

Maglipon said that the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) has certified that the meats were contaminated with the disease.

Maglipon said Ampil’s order was necessary to protect the consuming public.

The STAR gathered from sources that some unscrupulous persons, in connivance with scalawags from the BOC, are planning to sneak out the goods from the BOC premises. – Jerry Botial