The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) warned today (July 12) that it was an offence to possess meat for sale that was not of lawful origin.
The warning follows the seizure of 170 kilogrammes of smuggled chilled pork at Lok Ma Chau Control Point late last night.
In a joint operation of the FEHD and the Customs and Excise Department shortly before midnight, three polyfoam boxes containing chilled pork were found in the boot of a private car stopped and searched at the control point.
The driver, a 44-year-old man, who failed to produce official documents for importing meat, was arrested and handed over to the FEHD for investigation.
An FEHD spokesman warned that anyone possessing meat not of lawful origin for sale committed an offence and was liable to a maximum fine of $50,000 and imprisonment for six months.
"Retailers selling meat not from an approved source may have their fresh provision shop licences cancelled or market stall tenancies terminated," he said.
"People should call the FEHD hotline at 2868 0000 if they have doubts about the origins of meat sold at any retail outlet," he said.
Ends/Tuesday, July 12, 2005