Spain

Food fraud, still a problem in the Spanish market

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9 people are investigated in police investigation focused on the meat industry.

Posted on Jan 25 ,09:28

The Spanish police seized 1,790 pieces of Jamon, 760 kilos of cured sausages, and 4.5 tonnes of frozen pig meat in an investigation focused on food fraud in the province of Caceres. According to official sources, the investigations began at the end of November 2020, after unusual activity was detected in the vicinity of an inactive meat industry located in an industrial estate in the town of Malpartida de Plasencia (Caceres). Meat and meat products found on-site dispensed with sanitary controls (registrations, correct labeling and storage, non-compliance or handling in relation to freezing dates or preferential consumption dates and non-compliance in terms of traceability). the agents were able to find out that operations related to the meat sector were being carried out, from the facilities of this old company, by another that was not registered in the General Sanitary Registry of Food and Food Companies (RGSEAA), and whose purpose is the protection of public health and the interests of consumers, facilitating the official control of companies and establishments subject to registration.

"In these facilities, operations of acquisition, storage, distribution and marketing of food products of animal origin were being carried out, eluding the mandatory veterinary controls by the competent Health Authority, in order to introduce them, irregularly, in the food chain", Spanish investigators said. For all these reasons, the Nature Protection Service (SEPRONA) has arrested four people and another five are being investigated.
Also, the agents have been able to verify that said company had implications and direct links with companies based in the provinces of Salamanca, Toledo, Badajoz, Vizcaya and Madrid.