The Ministry of Commerce’s Cambodia Import-Export Inspection and Fraud Repression Directorate-General (Camcontrol) in Preah Sihanouk province has sent samples of pigs’ intestines from six containers to a laboratory in Phnom Penh for quality checks.

Used to make sausages, the intestines were imported from China through the Preah Sihanouk port on March 10.

The head of the Preah Sihanouk provincial department of Customs and Excise at the port, Yik Yu, said while the intestines have a Customs clearance certificate, further checks were required to ensure quality and standards.

“The checks serve to ensure the quality of all products,” he said.

Yu said Customs officers sent samples of the intestines for further checks at the laboratory to evaluate its quality. To maintain quality, the intestines were mixed with salt, he said.

Ministry spokesman Seang Thai told The Post on Sunday that Camcontrol and Customs officers were just doing their routine checks.

As the intestines had a clearance certificate from the ministry, the question of confiscation did not arise.

“Camcontrol officers merely checked the imported intestines which are to be used as sausage skins. They were not confiscated,” Thai said.

Customs officers claimed not to remember the name of the importing company or when they will get the laboratory report.

A Media Today report claimed that the product was imported by T.B.L.A EX-IM Co Ltd.

It said more than 10 Customs officers and provincial Camcontrol officials in Preah Sihanouk jointly examined the product.