Meat smugglers using English vehicles to evade border checks

Criminal gangs are buying English-registered coaches and vans to smuggle large amounts of illegal meat into the country, Farmers Weekly has learned.

Commercial quantities of illegal and diseased meat are entering the UK to be sold into fast-food outlets, pubs, and to “unscrupulous” manufacturers, an online meeting between meat industry representatives and border officials was told on 17 May.

Tony Goodger, from the Association of Independent Meat Suppliers (AIMS), who attended the meeting, said criminals are findings novel ways to smuggle meat into this country.

See also: Defra to slash budget for smuggled meat checks at Dover

Many are not coming here in vehicles with foreign number plates as they realise they are more likely to be stopped and checked, he added.

They also know if they travel to Dover in a refrigerated lorry, they will be diverted inland to the border control post 22 miles away at Sevington, Kent.

“They are buying old English coaches and loading them full of illegal meat and driving those through the border because they won’t get stopped,” said Mr Goodger.

Staff shortages

At Sevington, many vehicles are not being checked due to staff shortages, but all businesses are being charged for import checks.

Meanwhile, Mr Goodger said no checks are being made on vehicles going on to the Channel Tunnel at Coquelles in France and when they arrive at Folkestone, Kent.

New border controls on the import of plants, animals and food to the UK have been in place for almost a month.

But Mr Goodger accused the UK government of “doing nothing” to take steps to prevent major animal disease outbreaks, such as African swine fever (ASF) or foot-and-mouth disease.

Suspects who are caught with illegal meat are also being released without charge, the meeting heard.

Pork seized at Dover port © Dover Port Health Authority

Illegal meat seizures

Since September 2022, the Port of Dover Health Authority (PDHA) has seized more than 90t of illegal meat, of which 67t were from countries with ASF.

Health chiefs described this as “the tip of the iceberg”.

In addition to domestic pork products, the authority has seized illegal wild boar, poultry and beef since 1 April 2024, including 93 whole lamb carcasses.

Lucy Manzano, PDHA head of port health and public protection, said it is crucial that Defra and the UK government reconsider near 70% funding cuts to ASF checks at Dover.

“Leaving food to travel uncontrolled and freely, to self-present at a facility 22 miles away at Sevington, when there is one in Dover [Bastion], is an entirely needless risk,” she added.

A UK government spokesperson said: “We are unequivocal that the sale of illegal meat products is unacceptable – which is why suspected products are continuing to be checked at the border to ensure they don’t reach our shores.

“The recent volume of seizures demonstrates that Border Force operations are working. We are currently in discussion with Dover PHA to agree future fuding to tackle illegal imports, with a sharp focus on African swine fever safeguard measures as a key priority for UK biosecurity.”