DSI’s progress on opening of 161 illegal pork containers, completion estimated today with confirmation of non-compliance with the Department of Livestock Development’s disease examination

DSI’s progress on opening of 161 illegal pork containers, completion estimated today with confirmation of non-compliance with the Department of Livestock Development’s disease examination

       After the DSI accepted the case of a gang smuggling animal carcass (pork) into the Kingdom as the special case no. 59/2566, the DSI quickly investigated the case and gathered evidence to press charges against the persons involved with the wrongdoings. the DSI integrated its efforts with the Customs Department and the Department of Livestock Development to open the containers at the Laem Chabang Port Customs Office to inspect the goods. At the moment, 135 of 161 containers had been opened and the inspection of the rest of the containers was estimated to be completed by today (July 12, 2023). The inspection revealed that the refrigeration systems of 4 containers were defective, making the contained pork rotten. The opening of the frozen pork containers was to inspect and confirm the amount of pork imported and to identify the importer in order to support the prosecution. The 161 containers of frozen pork were confirmed by the Department of Livestock Development that they had not been examined for disease under the Animal Epidemics Act. The import without the said disease examination is a violation of Section 31 of the Animal Epidemics Act. The act prescribed that the imported goods are to be examined for disease by the Department of Livestock Development and must be declared in the correct category. Therefore, the case could be charged with the offence of avoidance of prohibitions under Section 244 of the Customs Act. Moreover, the said pork is also considered forfeitable goods under Section 166 of the Customs Act. Had the goods been declared accordingly, the State would be able to collect over 460 million baht in tax.

       The special case inquiry team would conduct the investigation, inquiry, and evidence collection with swiftness, cautiousness, and carefulness to prosecute the importer of pork and pork parts and pursue the persons involved in the wrongdoing in order to end the cycle that causes the risk of epidemics to swine livestock in Thailand and to protect consumers, as well as to benefit Thai pig farmers by eliminating non-compliant competitors, creating balance for pork and pork parts market raised in Thailand.