By Betheena Unite
More than 700 boxes of meat products onboard a truck were intercepted by the Philippine Coast Guard in Albay for absence of necessary permit over the weekend.
Boxes containing assorted meat products such as hotdogs and sweet hams were uncovered when Coast Guard patrol men from Coast Guard Station in Catanduanes intercepted LCT Concepcion upon its arrival at the Boracay Port in Albay last Saturday.
According to the Coast Guard, the confiscated goods have an estimated market value of P720,000.
Investigation showed that Edwin Francisco, driver of the van carrying the assorted meat products, failed to present an Animal Heath Certificate and Meat Inspection Certificate to allow the transport of the meat products from the port.
The confiscated products were then turned over to the Provincial Veterinary Office for proper disposition.
Aside from Coast Guard Station in Catanduanes, other members of the Task Force African Swine Flu (TF ASF) – Virac include the Coast Guard Sub-Station and Coast Guard K9 in Virac, as well as the Provincial Veterinary Office to strictly implement the total ban of pork and pork by-products in Catanduanes as a precautionary measure against the spread of African Swine Fever in the province.
Last week, several sacks containing different kinds of processed meat products were also intercepted while being unloaded from MV Virac sea vessel during an inspection at the Virac Port in Catanduanes.
The Coast Guard said the meat products were transported from Tabaco City with no shipping and health permits from the government veterinary office. The shipment was supposed to be distributed to various grocery stores and meat shops in Virac town.