Chon Buri: Huge haul of undisclosed animal carcasses seized by Livestock Department
The quiet humdrum of Pattaya was broken yesterday by a significant operation led by the Chon Buri Department of Livestock. The team, under the guidance of Police Colonel Chakkraphong Panmongkol, unearthed a staggering 5,100 kilogrammes of undisclosed animal carcasses in the Pong locale of Chon Buri‘s Banglamung district.
Acting on a tip-off that hinted at unauthorised activities in the region, the team zeroed in on several chilled containers at a nameless meat processing site. The complaint suggested that the site might be involved in the prohibited import, processing, and distribution of raw meat.
A detailed investigation into the matter ensued, revealing a cache of 2,600 kilogrammes of buffalo meat and 2,500 kilogrammes of cow meat. The buffalo meat was allegedly imported from India, while the cow meat originated from far-flung countries such as Argentina, Panama, Uruguay, and New Zealand.
An alarming aspect of this discovery was the absence of the necessary import papers for these meat products. This lack of documentation led to the confiscation of the entire 5,100 kilogrammes of animal carcasses for a more thorough examination.
The situation took a serious turn when Pol. Col. Chakkraphong issued a 15-day ultimatum to the site’s operators. They were instructed to furnish the required documents to the officials within this timeframe. Non-compliance with this would invoke legal action under Sections 22 and 31 of the Animal Epidemics Act, reported Pattaya News.
As of now, the authorities have withheld the names of the operators involved in this operation. Yet, the seriousness of the issue underlines the necessity for stringent checks and regulations in the meat industry, ensuring the safety and well-being of consumers, Pol. Col. Chakkraphong explained during the press briefing.
“We found buffalo meat from India and cow meat from Argentina, Panama, Uruguay, and New Zealand. None of these had the necessary import documentation. We’ve seized all 5,100 kilogrammes of the animal carcasses for further investigation.”
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