KALIBO, Aklan – Around 13 kilos of alleged contaminated meat products from China and South Korea were intercepted on Sunday by Kalibo International Airport’s (KIA) Quarantine Section.
Dr. Christine Lyn Melgarejo, veterinarian officer III of the Bureau of Animal Industry, said they seized 11 kilos of meat products from a South Korean passenger and another 2 kilos from a Chinese national. The products were from countries where there is an outbreak of the African swine flu.
“Since last year, we received a memorandum from the central office to confiscate meat products that are suspected to be contaminated coming from different countries at the KIA,” said Melgarejo.
She added passengers placed these meat products inside a luggage.
“We wonder why they were still able to enter the airport,” Melgarejo stressed.
Last Thursday, around 100 kilos of pork products were confiscated from passengers arriving at the KIA.
“We fume these contaminated meats before we place it in our storage facility. After some time we burn it,” Melgarejo explained.
The African swine flu is a highly contagious hemorrhagic viral disease of domestic and wild pigs, which is responsible for serious economic and production losses.
The Department of Agriculture recently strengthened its warning and intensified its watch against imported meat products due to the threat of African swine fever.
Among the products being banned for importation, distribution and sale of processed pork meat products is Ma Ling./PN
