Thai authorities destroy smuggled carcasses and meat

BANGKOK, January 13 (TNA) - Thai livestock authorities have burnt about 85 tons of smuggled carcasses and meat to control diseases and to maintain the standard of Thai imports and exports of all products. The destruction took place at a facility of the Department of Livestock Development, under the Thai Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, in Bang Kradi District of Bangkok's neighboring Pathum Thani Province on Tuesday. The smuggled products were seized by government agencies concerned, including the Department of Livestock Development and the Customs Department, from November 1-December 31, 2014, consisting of 13 tons of pig kidneys from the Netherland, 23 tons of livers from South Korea and 49 tons of inner organs of cows from India. Thai Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Pitipong Phuengboon Na Ayudhaya told journalists that such smuggled goods posed high risks of dangerous animal-to-human diseases and their destruction was a must. Pitipong estimated that such the smuggling of carcasses and meat has caused at least 100 million baht worth of damage to the national economy annually. According to the minister, the Department of Livestock Development has, thus, been ordered to carefully examine such exports and imports at all checkpoints to ensure Thailand's cargo handling standard and status as a global center of agricultural products. (TNA)