Concerns have been raised after Northern Irish port authorities seized around 600kg of illegal meat that was smuggled into port on the Stranraer ferry.
The discovery has sparked fresh worry over the porous nature of the UK’s border controls, particularly at the country’s busiest port, Dover.
According to reports, the vehicle entered the UK at either Dover or another port in eastern England, and travelled through the country unchecked, with the meat transported in loose packaging, thereby presenting disease risks.
The find was discussed at a roundtable meeting of Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) officials and industry stakeholders on 17 January.
An industry source, who attended the meeting, said: “The discovery begs the question what the port authorities in Northern Ireland are doing that those at ports in Britain are not.
“Having entered the UK, the consignment exited Britain at the Scottish port of Stranraer, before it was eventually intercepted at a third checkpoint in Larne, Northern Ireland.
“Every port’s health officer has a duty to have an enquiring mind when a vehicle appears to be suspicious.
"It would be fascinating to find out what made the officers at Larne stop the vehicle after two other UK ports had allowed it through.”
Recent disease cases in Europe, including foot-and-mouth (FMD) in Germany, have highlighted weaknesses in the UK’s biosecurity at borders.
Nick Allen, chief executive of the British Meat Processors Association (BMPA), said that, equally, the increased level of criminal activity involving illegal meat was concerning.
"It has become more lucrative and easier to smuggle cheap, illegal meat products into the UK which get distributed to small shops and individuals via an established criminal network."
A DAERA spokesperson confirmed that staff in Larne Port seized 601kg of product of animal origin that arrived from Great Britain on 16 January 2025.
“The product was not permitted entry to Northern Ireland as it was judged to be non-compliant with sanitary and phytosanitary requirements,” they said.
