Ports of Felixstowe and Harwich see one tonne of pork seized by Suffolk port health authority to combat African Swine Fever

One tonne of smuggled pork has been seized at the ports of Felixstowe and Harwich as authorities work to reduce the chances of an African Swine Fever (ASF) outbreak.

Meat from the EU that doesn't meet the new standards set out by the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) in August 2022, is seized at the ports in a joint operation involving Border Force and Suffolk Coastal Port Health Authority (SCPHA).

The scheme has seen one tonne of meat confiscated since it launched in November, with the 11-strong team inspecting more than 300kg of pork in one week around Christmas.

Mark, Team Leader at SCPHA, said: “We are pleased our joint operation with Border Force has already made an impact in reducing the chances of an ASF outbreak Britain.”

"We use our expertise in food security and public health to search vehicles, trailers and freight flagged by Border Force that could be carrying pork and identify the risks.

“We confiscate any pork we find that does not meet the new standards, as well as other meats that cannot be identified, and are pleased to say the majority of confiscated pork to date has been surrendered voluntarily.”

ASF is a highly contagious viral disease in pigs which has potentially devastating effects on pig populations and farming, according to the World Organisation for Animal Health.

Controls to prevent the spread in the UK include travellers from the EU no longer being allowed to bring pork weighing over 2kg of personal allowance into Britain unless it is in verified commercial packaging with EU health marks.

The joint operation was due to conclude in March 2023, however following the success has received further funding from DEFRA until March 2024.

Hannah Panting, Operations Manager at SCPHA, said: “Our teams have done a fantastic job in protecting Britain from the significant damage an ASF outbreak could cause the farming economy.

“We look forward to continuing the success of this operation and strengthening our cooperation with Border Force across 2023 and 2024."