FI16777

Request

1. The total weight (in kilograms or tonnes) of seized illegal meat and other prohibited products of animal origin (POAO) at the Port of Dover (including passenger vehicles, baggage, and any cargo where applicable), broken down by month, from March 2024 to the most recent available month (or up to the date of this request in 2026). 

2. If a full monthly national breakdown is not held, please provide any available monthly or periodic figures specifically for Dover Port Health Authority operations during this period. 

3. Any accompanying notes on:

  • How seizures are categorised (e.g., personal imports vs commercial, types of meat/POAO such as pork, beef, dairy).
  • Whether these figures include only intercepted/seized amounts (not estimated total entering).

Response

1. The total weight of seizures in 2024 was 98,958.30kg and in 2025 was 196,580.16kg.  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 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.

2. Please see response to question 1.

3. As follows:

  • Dover Port Health Authority (PHA) is responsible for checks on personal imports at the point of entry. These checks are not further categorised.  Commercial POAO imports are required to be pre-notified to Ashford Borough Council and are examined at the Sevington Border Control Post
  • Dover PHA’s figures represent the quantities of illegal meat/POAO intercepted and seized at Dover. These are actual totals,  not estimates.