Bulacan warehouse raid: P35M worth of expired meat seized

The Department of Agriculture (DA) together with the Bureau of Customs (BOC) seized tons of expired meat estimated to be worth around P35 million in a warehouse in Meycauayan, Bulacan, on Tuesday.

The BOC said the composite team, led by the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS), found two improvised cold storage facilities with spoiled meat products in Meycauayan Industrial Subdivision in Barangay Pantoc.

No one was arrested during the raid, as there were no people inside the warehouse during the operation. The owner of the warehouse is also reportedly abroad.

“Since the owners or building administrator were not present during the service and implementation of the Letter of Authority (LOA), raiding team proceeded to the subdivision’s homeowners’ association (HOA) to effect the substituted service thereof,” said CIIS Service Director Verne Enciso.

The agency said the LOA was received by the HOA’s administrative staff on-behalf of the owner or operator of the the subject warehouse.

This was done in the presence of two barangay officials, it said.

Customs Deputy Commissioner for Intelligence Group Juvymax Uy added that officials from the Department of Agriculture's Inspectorate and Enforcement (DAIE) and the National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS) were present during the operation.

“The DAIE and the NMIS also did initial evaluation of the meat products and, based on the physical appearance and foul odor thereof, the said meat products are determined to be unfit for human consumption,” said Uy.

According to Glen Juego's report on Super Radyo dzBB, the expired pork and beef products were being repacked and resold in markets.

The meat, which allegedly expired in 2021 and had a bad smell, reportedly came from different countries, including India and Germany.

Authorities are still conducting a full inventory of the seized meat and investigating where the repacked items are being sold.

The owner of the warehouse may face charges for violating the Food Safety Act.  —Jiselle Anne Casucian and Ted Cordero/VAL/VBL, GMA Integrated News