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Gangs smuggling tonnes of ‘killer meat’ into UK in bin bags - as LBC told risk of ‘explosive’ disease at ‘all-time high’
1 May 2025, 07:16 | Updated: 1 May 2025, 09:47
LBC can reveal almost 60 tonnes of illegal meat was seized in Dover in the first three months of the year - as UK farmers warn of ‘potentially devastating diseases’.
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Pig parts, sheep heads, beef carcasses, and even cheese is being transported to the UK by criminals in disgusting conditions: no refrigeration, wrapped in cling film or dumped in bin liners, often leaking blood, and left to rot for days before being intercepted.
It’s being stashed in the boots of cars, hidden in vans and in coach luggage compartments - to get it over the border.
Figures shared exclusively with us from Dover Port Authority show 58 tonnes of meat was seized between January 1st and March 31st this year.
That is triple the amount that was found in the same period in 2024.
And LBC’s been told this is just ‘tip of the iceberg’ - with the scale of the problem far worse than current seizures indicate.
Data we’ve sourced from the Association Independent Meat Suppliers (AIMS) shows only 0.2% of the estimated 10,000 vehicles which pass through Dover each day are checked – which equates to just 1 in every 500 vehicles.
A spokesperson for Dover Port Health Authority has confirmed current funding from DEFRA only covers 20 percent of their operations at the port - and told LBC this leaves the UK border, now being dubbed the ‘illegal meat highway’, ‘largely open’ for criminals to exploit.
Experts in the meat industry have warned the vast amount of illegal meat coming in could “kill” and is likely ending up on the high street - posing a “major public health risk”.
Nick Allen, the Chief Executive of the British Meat Processors Association told LBC: “We've seen cases where a coach turned up with bagged-up pig meat literally on the passenger seats - no hygiene controls in place - it’s appalling.
“There’s profit to be made by criminals - there is a good market for meat in the UK, and our prices are higher than much of Europe, but the public really needs to be aware: if you’re buying cheap meat on the streets, you need to stop and ask where it’s come from - there’s a huge food hygiene risk to you and your family."
Meanwhile Jason Aldiss, the Executive Director of AIMS, told us he’s concerned the meat has become “impossible” to trace because of where criminals are selling it:
“These meats are often taken into low value accommodation units - they might be housing migrant workers for example.
“It could be being brought into low-cost housing type arrangements, some of the lower end hospitality type venues, and also just in your markets and on the street.”
The loudest concerns though come from British farmers who say the risk of “potentially devastating diseases” arriving in the UK from illegal meat imports is at “an all-time high”.
Five cases of foot-and-mouth were confirmed in Hungary and Slovakia last month, while Germany saw its first case of the disease in over 30 years in January.
African Swine Fever, which affects pigs, has been identified in over 17 European countries so far this year.
Hugh Broom, a pig farmer in the South East of England and NFU Chair for livestock for the East of England told LBC:
“When you see product like this meat coming into the country, it fills you with horror and the risk to our livestock from a biosecurity perspective, from disease — be that African Swine Fever or Foot-and-mouth — could potentially come in on that meat and infect our pig herds, our cattle herds, our sheep herds here.
“The pig industry’s estimated that the cost, if there was an ASF outbreak in the UK, just the initial cost alone — would be around £100 million - horrendous, and that’s just the financial damage, not forgetting the emotional damage for people involved in the business.
“The 2001 Foot-and-mouth outbreak happened because of badly disposed of food waste, starting a pandemic in animals which was horrific for the animals, horrific for the people involved, and it cost the nation then £8 billion.”
Lizzie Wilson, Chief Executive Officer of the National Pig Association, told LBC the UK is “one ham sandwich away from disaster” while Neil Shand, CEO of the British Beef Foundation said an outbreak of Foot-and-mouth in the UK would “devastate the industry and it would never recover.”
Last month, the government banned personal imports of meat and dairy products - including sandwiches, milk, cheese, and cured meats from all European countries to help protect the UK from disease, but the National Farmers Union say the measures “don’t go far enough.”
Dover Port Health Authority are urging DEFRA to “close the gaps” at the border “before it’s too late”.
In response to our findings, a spokesperson for the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said:
“This government will do whatever it takes to protect British farmers from Foot and Mouth Disease and African Swine Fever.
"That's why we have significantly increased seizures of illegal meat products through improved data and intelligence, immediately brought in restrictions on animal products from Germany, Hungary and Slovakia and strengthened protections by introducing restrictions on personal meat and dairy imports.
“We are unequivocal that importing illegal meat products is unacceptable and we continue to work closely with Port Health Authorities, industry, trade partners and enforcement agencies to protect our biosecurity.”
