Second shipment of bad meat seized at Greek port

A SECOND shipment of Cypriot meat products was confiscated in Greece yesterday after being deemed unsuitable for human consumption by the Greek authorities.

Nearly 25 tonnes of frozen pork products were seized at Piraeus port which carried the dates during which such exports were forbidden due to the foot and mouth crisis.

It was the second shipment of 24 tonnes with the offending date that was confiscated by the Greek authorities.

In statements to Greek media, Piraeus port authorities said there was an explicit decision from the EU that meat products from Cyprus dated after September 15 and up to December 15, were prohibited.

Reports from Athens quoted officials as saying it appeared that unscrupulous traders had hoped to offload the prohibited meat – which was unfit for human consumption – on the Greek market.

The shipment will now be destroyed by the Greek authorities while veterinarian officials must proceed with disinfecting the loading and unloading areas of the docks.

Cyprus News Agency reported that Piraeus port official Yiannis Michas had phoned the Cyprus embassy in Athens to lodge a complaint and to ask the Cypriot authorities to intervene and “not allow exports that endanger the [Greek] domestic market, and expose the Cypriot authorities”

Greek police and its Agriculture Ministry had also been informed, the reports said.
”What has happened unthinkable,” Michas was quoted as saying.

“For the second time, despite the decisions of European Union, the particular businessman attempted to import around 25 tonnes of unfit meat into Greece.”

Earlier this month Agriculture Minister Fotis Fotiou yesterday ordered an immediate investigation into reports that pork had been exported to Greece during the foot and mouth ban.

On November 29, veterinary officials in Piraeus confiscated 24 tonnes of frozen pork meat.

Two weeks ago the European Commission lifted a ban on exports of pork meat originating outside the 10km surveillance zone, but kept in place all other restrictions that had been in place.
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