Crackdown on Samut Sakhon cold storages suspected of hoarding pork
Police officers along with officials from the Livestock Development Department showed up in Samut Sakhon on Friday to check three cold storages. They had received a tip-off that the cold-storage operators may be hoarding pork to make profits from the shortage and soaring prices.
“The first cold storage had notified the Department of Internal Trade that it has 929 tonnes of pork in its possession,” Livestock Development Department director-general Sorawit Thaneeto said. “However, upon inspection, the company claimed it has recently transported 400 tonnes of pork to other cold storages in Nakhon Pathom and Ratchaburi, and that it has yet to submit documents detailing the transfer.
“Officials also found 234 tonnes of pork that was not shown in the manifest. The company explained that another firm in Ratchaburi had rented its cold storage to store meat since November last year,” he added.
“Further inspection of the company’s documents showed that it had no evidence of origin and transportation of 71 tonnes of pork in its possession. Hence, this amount will be confiscated and the company has until Saturday to present the related documents to take the pork back.”
The second cold storage in Samut Sakhon inspected on Friday had reportedly submitted documents for the storage of 283 tonnes of slaughtered pigs, but there were no animal carcasses in the facility. The company said the carcasses had been moved to another cold storage in the province, where officials found 441 tonnes of pig carcasses with evidence that 283 tonnes belong to one company and 158 tonnes to another.
“Neither company has submitted documents detailing the movement of the animal carcasses to the Livestock Development Department or notified the Department of Internal Trade of the pork being stored,” Sorawit said. “Officials have confiscated the 441 tonnes of pork and will return them if they can present the required documents by Saturday.
“Officials will continue inspecting cold storages for possible hoarding of pork. So far, we have received tip-offs about suspicious activities in up to 25 facilities, 11 of which are in Samut Sakhon,” he added.
According to the law, those who possess more than 500 live pigs or 5 tonnes of pig carcasses must notify relevant authorities of the origin, movement and intention of storage or they will face a maximum punishment of a year in prison and/or a fine of THB20,000.
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