Finnish customs finds illegal import of meat

Authorities in Finland have uncovered large quantities of unrefrigerated meat being brought into the country without any documentation. Finnish Customs (Tulli) said the case involves evading taxes and food safety. The issue was found during Customs’ control in the West Harbor of Helsinki in spring 2022. A preliminary investigation is in the final stages before the case is forwarded to the prosecution district of Southern Finland for consideration of charges. Officials said the suspect tried to bring into Finland around 500-kilograms (1,100 pounds) of fresh beef and sheep meat in a car from Latvia via Estonia. The Finnish Food Authority (Ruokavirasto) found the quantity of meat in question was so large that it could not be considered for private use. Instead, it was import for commercial purposes. The suspect’s operation was not registered, which is a requirement for the commercial import of foodstuffs, according to the Food Act. Meat was transported unrefrigerated and without a ...