FI16666

Request

Can I please update my previous request for information relating to illegal meat seizures? 

For January 2026 and also each of the calendar years 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022 and 2021 please can you tell me: 

1. How many seizures of illegal meat were discovered at the ports or docks in your area? Please provide the number of seizures and, where possible, a quantity seized. 

2. Can you please state the name of the port or docks where the seizure took place? 

3. Where possible, which country did the food originate from? 

4. Where possible, can you say what type of meat was seized? 

5. Away from the ports and docks, has your local authority seized any illegal meat in your local area? If so please state the quantity, type of meat and country of origin.

Response

You have already been provided with the figures up to and including the end of 2024 in the request submitted on 10 January 2025. A copy of the response to that request has been published on the Council’s website and can be found at: FI15478. The figures for 2025 are as follows: 

Question	2025
1. How many seizures of illegal meat were discovered at the ports or docks in your area? Please provide the number of seizures and, where possible, a quantity seized.	2214 Seizures totalling 196,580.16kg
2. Can you please state the name of the port or docks where the seizure took place?	Dover Port
3. Where possible, which country did the food originate from?	Romania, Moldova, Poland, GB, Ukraine, Lithuania, Bulgaria, Germany, Slovakia, Belgium, Netherlands, France, Czech Republic, Latvia, Spain
4. Where possible, can you say what type of meat was seized?	Pork, lamb, beef, chicken, dairy products, eggs
5. Away from the ports and docks, has your local authority seized any illegal meat in your local area? If so, please state the quantity, type of meat and country of origin.	1 seizure totalling 7.2kg of Romanian Pork products

I can confirm that the total weight of seizures for January 2026 is 33,981.62kg (all at Dover Port). However, the Council considers that providing a further breakdown to answer questions 3-5 for a particular month is exempt from disclosure under Section 31(1)(a) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. The Council considers that the disclosure of the data in that format could make the UK a target of crime. Section 31(1)(a) says that we do not need to provide information that would be likely to prejudice the functions of law enforcement (the prevention and detection of crime). The Council believes that releasing this information would increase the likelihood of: 

• impacting the delivery of the service from an enforcement perspective as it would show which months are busier/quieter than others
• provide an insight into when vehicles are more (or less) likely to be checked
• criminals using the information to avoid detection and inspection when entering the country
• aid the import of illegal meat through Dover 

Public Interest Test 

As Section 31 is a qualified exemption we need to consider the public interest test. 

Factors in favour of disclosure: 

• It would help transparency and accountability of the port health authority.
• It would reassure people about whether our processes are vulnerable or not.
• It would provide information about how effective our inspections and investigations are. 

Factors in favour of withholding: 

• There is an inherent public interest in crime prevention.
• There is public interest in avoiding the costs (financial, distress, inconvenience, publicity, regulatory) associated with the importing of illegal meat products.
• There is public interest in preventing any threat to the UK.
• There is public interest in ensuring the port health authority can comply with its duties under The Trade in Animals and Related Products Regulations 2011 to take all necessary steps to safeguard the safety of the UK. 

We believe that the balance of public interest lies in upholding the exemption and not releasing the information to the level of detail requested at questions 3-5 for the month of January 2026.