(qlmbusinessnews.com . Thus 6th Feb, 2025) London, UK —
Illegal Meat Rampant on UK High Streets Amid Border Check Failures, Warns Health Official
Efforts to safeguard the UK from disease-ridden meat imports are being undermined by ineffective post-Brexit border controls, a senior health official has warned. Lucy Manzano, head of the Dover Port Health Authority, told MPs that illegal meat, which has bypassed essential health inspections, is now available on “most high streets” across the country.
The warning comes as outbreaks of serious animal diseases in Europe have sparked concerns among health authorities and the farming community over potential threats to UK biosecurity.
Criticisms of Post-Brexit System
Under the current system, commercial vehicles carrying meat are required to travel 22 miles from the Port of Dover to a designated inspection facility in Sevington. However, Ms Manzano claimed that many lorries are failing to show up for the checks, with little to no enforcement in place.
Despite government assurances that the system is “robust,” Ms Manzano told Parliament’s Environment Select Committee that Defra (the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) had overstated the effectiveness of the checks.
“Defra have continually stated that there are robust controls in place. There are not. They don't exist,” she said.
She added that the government had provided no clear plan on how to track or control food between its arrival in the UK and its inspection at Sevington, raising serious concerns about biosecurity.
Growing Concerns and Consumer Risks
Ms Manzano claimed that illegal meat had become increasingly common on the high street, making it harder for consumers to determine whether products have passed proper health inspections.
Figures released earlier this week revealed that nearly 100 tonnes of illegal meat were seized at Dover last year. Defra maintained its stance that importing illegal meat is “unacceptable” and that suspected products are routinely checked to prevent them from reaching the UK market.
A BBC investigation last year found unprecedented levels of meat seizures, raising concerns over the possibility of organised criminal activity.
Funding Challenges and Future Risks
The Dover Port Health Authority has been conducting spot checks on smaller vehicles at the border since the introduction of the current system, but that funding is set to expire in seven weeks. Without additional financial support, these critical checks will have to stop.
Ms Manzano argued that the government’s decision to place the main inspection facility at Sevington, rather than on-site at Dover, was “not based on biosecurity” but on concerns about potential traffic congestion at the border.
The government recently imposed strict restrictions on the import of German meat following a foot and mouth disease outbreak. However, IT failures in the post-Brexit system reportedly allowed unchecked products to enter the country for at least six days.
Discussions are ongoing regarding how to best fund and enforce border checks moving forward.
As concerns grow over the UK's vulnerability to illegal meat imports, industry stakeholders and health officials continue to call for stronger enforcement measures and a more reliable system to protect public health and biosecurity.
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