§ Mr. BreedTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many successful prosecutions have been brought against illegal(a) meat and (b) produce importers in the past five years, broken down by port of entry. [165718]
§ Mr. HealeyHM Customs and Excise have been responsible for anti-smuggling controls on illegal imports of meat since April 2003.
Customs have brought two successful prosecutions against people smuggling illegal meat in the past fortnight: one involving an American national arriving at Gatwick airport and another a Gambian national arriving at Heathrow.
In the past five years, two other successful prosecutions have been brought by Customs in regard of imports of meat, skins and dead animals (both in 2001). Records detailing the ports of entry and details of relevant prosecutions brought by local authorities are not recorded centrally.
There have been no prosecutions with regard to illegal imports of produce in the past five years.