Illegal pork import gets destroyed

Officials from the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives buried more than 700,000 kilogrammes of smuggled pork meat and entrails in Petchaburi province’s Cha Am district yesterday.

According to Minister Chalermchai Sri-on, the 723,786kg of smuggled pork — worth 123 million baht — was the largest load of illegal meat ever destroyed by the authorities.

The idea of burying pork came from the World Organization for Animal Health. The method was touted as the safest, cheapest, and most effective eco-friendly method that the authorities can use.

The lot was illegally imported, primarily from Brazil, Germany and Italy, without quality inspection, the minister said, adding that eating the products could put unknowing consumers at risk.

The ministry applies strict measures against pork smugglers to boost the trust of consumers, herders and Thailand’s swine housing…