Dover border checks: Illegal sheep meat posed risk, officials say

Sheep carcasses transported to the UK without temperature controls, with blood dripping on other food such as pig parts, chicken, beef and cheese, were seized at the Port of Dover days before new controls came in, officials said.

Dover Port Health Authority (DPHA) said it seized 3.4 tonnes of illegal meat on Friday and Saturday, highlighting the importance of its work at the Kent port.

DPHA has criticised government plans to move biosecurity checks from the border to a facility at Sevington, 22 miles (35 km) inland from the port, and has called for a purpose-built, temperature-controlled facility at Dover to be used.

The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said checks of medium and high-risk goods were now taking place, including at Sevington. Defra has not yet responded to comments by DPHA.

The seizures of illegal meat at the weekend included 54 unmarked sheep carcasses in two vehicles from Romania, DHPA said.

The vehicles had travelled for several days in unhygienic conditions and unsuitable packaging – described as incomplete and made up of domestic clingfilm, black sacks and duct tape.

To stop the potential spread of disease, the illegal meat was removed from the food supply chain at the point of entry at Dover, officials said.

It came amid increased concerns that African Swine Fever (ASF), recently found in Sweden, Italy and Germany, could spread to the UK.

DPHA has objected to government plans to cut Dover District Council’s funding for ASF checks by nearly 70%.