Man sentenced in illegal meat case
A man has been given a suspended sentence in England for food safety offences.
Arfan Sultan, from Ilford, was sentenced at Snaresbrook Crown Court on November 14 following an investigation by the National Food Crime Unit (NFCU) and Redbridge Council into the illegal production and distribution of smoked products prepared in unsanitary and unregulated conditions.
The smokes are made by burning the fleece of illegally slaughtered sheep, rams or goats. The investigation uncovered a cutting plant operating without a food business registration and led to the removal of a large amount of meat from the human food chain.
Sultan was sentenced to 16 months in prison, suspended for 18 months, 240 hours of unpaid work and £3,000 costs ($3,900). He pleaded guilty to eight breaches of the Food Safety and Hygiene (England) Regulations 2013.
Illegal smoke production
Kam Rai, chairman of Redbridge Council, said: “Producing and processing meat in this way is illegal as we cannot guarantee it is safe for consumption. This conviction marks the end of a long and determined investigation aimed at holding a food criminal to account. This individual acted with complete disregard for public health, motivated solely by greed.”
Sultan was found in possession of a vehicle containing 1.6 tonnes of fumes and was involved in their processing and supply.
Neil Castle, deputy director of NFCU, part of the Food Standards Agency (FSA), said the sentence reflects the seriousness of the offenses.
“NFCU, in partnership with the police and Redbridge Council, have been working on an investigation into food hygiene offenses and the illegal slaughter of sheep and goats. Due to the way they are manufactured, smoked products contravene the Food Safety Act and often animal welfare legislation,” he said.
According to the FSA and Food Standards Scotland (FSS) Food Crime Strategic Assessment 2024, demand for smoked products has created opportunities for organized criminals operating from a few locations across the UK, serving consumers in major cities through retail outlets and personal supplies. Religious festivals and other special occasions generate increased demand for smoked cigarettes.
Production is concentrated in rural areas of Wales, with some activity in Scotland and Cornwall. The carcasses are transported to sites such as Birmingham and London. Links were also established with Ireland.
Canada and Trichinella
Furthermore, the FSA and FSS have concluded that Canada’s measures regarding Trichinella do not comply with the requirements of UK legislation.
This means that all pigs intended for meat export to the UK from Canada must either test negative for Trichinella or the meat must be frozen in accordance with current regulations.
The UK’s Defra Sanitary and Phytosanitary Trade Assurance Office had asked the FSA to assess whether checks carried out by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) over controlled housing conditions for Trichinella could be recognized under UK food safety requirements legislation.
An assessment found that while the CFIA has implemented several measures to control Trichinella in pigs, there are notable compliance gaps, such as reporting requirements. Any future review of Canada’s approach would require a formal review by UK authorities to confirm that all relevant criteria have been met.
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