PATHUM THANI, Jan 13 – The Department of Livestock Development burnt 85 tons of smuggled carcasses and meat to control diseases and maintain the standard of Thai imports and exports.
The destruction took place yesterday at a livestock department facity in Pathum Thani’s Bang Kradi sub-district.
Government agencies including the Department of Livestock Development and the Customs Department seized the smuggled goods during November and December last year.
They consisted of 13 tons of pig kidneys from the Netherlands, 23 tons of liver from South Korea and 49 tons of inner organs of cows from India.
Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Pitipong Phuengboon Na Ayudhaya said such smuggled goods posed high risks of dangerous animal-to-human diseases in the country and their destruction was a must. He estimated that the smuggling caused at least 100 million baht worth of damage to the national economy annually.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives ordered the Department of Livestock Development to carefully examine such exports and imports at all checkpoints to ensure Thailand’s cargo handling standard and status as a global center of agricultural products.
