Over 28 tonnes of banned and tainted frozen meats were confiscated and destroyed by the General Department of Customs and Excise (GDCE) and related units between July and early August.

More than 10 types of prohibited imports, totalling 6.199 tonnes of tainted frozen meats, were seized from a trader after a truck transporting them was involved in an accident on the Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville Expressway on August 11.

On August 12, Kampong Speu provincial customs and excise officers, in cooperation with the Consumer Protection, Competition and Fraud Repression Directorate-General (CCF) at the Ministry of Commerce and Kampong Speu provincial Military Police, incinerated the goods, according to the GDCE.

The destroyed items included fish eggs, meatballs, chicken meat, duck blood, beef, salmon fins, pork, chicken, beef kidneys and pork ribs, among others.

CCF deputy director-general Bun Chamroeun explained that officers from the GDCE led the operation, with CCF officials providing support. He noted that he was not fully briefed on the details of the case.

“Sometimes we crack down on these crimes so effectively that the perpetrators pause their activities for a while … They may change their methods, but our officials will continue to collaborate with relevant institutions to take action,” he said.

In July alone, at least 22 tonnes of banned frozen meats were confiscated and destroyed by the GDCE in five separate operations conducted in collaboration with other authorities.

These operations included two incidents in Battambang province, where 200kg of goods were seized from a shipment coming from Thailand, as well as other operations in Phnom Penh’s Sen Sok district, where 3.195 tonnes were confiscated, and in Takeo and Svay Rieng, where 17.193 tonnes and 1.509 tonnes were seized, respectively.

Perishable goods, such as the banned and tainted frozen meats confiscated in these operations, are items that are prone to spoilage due to their nature or improper storage conditions. These include vegetables, fruits, fresh meat, live animals, frozen products, fresh milk and certain medicines that require special handling.

In cases where there is no proper storage available for perishable goods awaiting inspection or release from customs, customs and excise authorities are allowed to permit the owner or their representative to use their own storage facilities, provided they meet the necessary standards to ensure the quality of the goods, according to the GDCE.