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Committee publication · Report · 8 September 2025 · HC 1296

3rd report - Biosecurity at the border: Britain's illegal meat crisis

From: Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee

Inquiry: Biosecurity and animal welfare

Government response deadline: 8 November 2025

Summary

This report examines illegal meat and dairy imports into Great Britain, exposing biosecurity vulnerabilities at the border. The committee found alarming volumes of contaminated animal products entering through airports, ports, and vehicle routes—235 tonnes seized in 2024 alone—driven by European disease outbreaks, cost-of-living pressures, and weak enforcement. Despite risks from foot and mouth disease and African swine fever, border officers conduct far fewer seizures than post-2001, port health authorities lack adequate powers and funding, and no coordinated national strategy exists to combat this "illegal meat crisis."

Key findings

  • 235 tonnes of animal products seized at UK border in 2024 from 2,600 seizures, yet officers conduct six times fewer individual seizures than in 2005 despite greater overall volumes, indicating a fundamental shift in enforcement capacity.
  • Foot and mouth disease outbreak in Germany (January 2025) cost €1 billion; a UK outbreak would cost £13.8 billion (2023–24 prices). Both likely caused by contaminated illegal imports; animal disease experts attribute FMD risk to illegally imported food.
  • African swine fever spreading across Europe with 100% mortality rates in some strains; Defra assesses UK risk as 'high' via illegal import pathway. An ASF outbreak would cost £10–100 million and destroy pork export market worth £600 million annually.
  • Criminal smuggling networks transport meat in unsanitary conditions—plastic bags, suitcases, defrosted freezers—across 1,000+ miles from Eastern Europe. Meat sold on UK high streets, in restaurants, and markets, often misrepresented as British origin.
  • No strategic national coordination exists; responsibility fragmented across Defra, Border Force, port health authorities, and local councils. Committee concluded UK 'avoided another major disease outbreak from illegally imported meat by luck rather than design.'

Recommendations

  • Commission a risk assessment modelling the probable volume of illegally imported meat and dairy per year and likelihood of disease incursion; publish quarterly border and inland seizure data.
  • Give all port health authorities statutory powers and dedicated funding to intercept personal imports of animal products at borders.
  • Integrate port and local authorities into a national intelligence network; appoint a taskforce for illegal imports of products of animal origin led by the Minister for Biosecurity.
  • Develop a permanent personal import policy for meat and dairy from the EU; simplify and clarify current complex, patchwork rules across commodities and countries.
  • Launch comprehensive public awareness campaigns on animal disease risks and personal import rules, learning from New Zealand and Australia; require travel operators and airports to display information.
  • Establish statutory coordination between Defra, National Food Crime Unit, Scottish Food Crime and Incidents Unit, Border Force, and local authorities with clear leadership accountability.
  • Address APHA Weybridge workforce crisis (20% veterinary vacancy rate) and site failure risk (rated 25/25); develop detailed contingency plan for whole-site failure before mid-2030s redevelopment completes.

Tone

Critical

Topics

biosecurityanimal-healthborder-enforcementfood-safetysmuggling

Key actors

Alistair Carmichael, Baroness Hayman of Ullock, Lizzie Wilson, Lucy Manzano, Helen Buckingham, Animal and Plant Health Agency, Border Force, National Food Crime Unit

Notable line

“… in the event of an outbreak "if they have not stopped the meat, that they are entirely aware of, from coming into this country." 16 10 Defra …”

Key Quotes

“… in the event of an outbreak "if they have not stopped the meat, that they are entirely aware of, from coming into this country." 16 10 Defra …”
— Lizzie Wilson, Chief Executive, National Pig Association · warning about consequences of failing to prevent illegal pork imports in face of ASF risk
“… enforcement weaknesses at the border are allowing "more and more of a gateway" for illicit goods, resulting in "a super highway of meat".”
— Helen Buckingham, regulatory consultant and environmental health practitioner · describing systemic failures in border controls
“"a huge deterioration in … basic hygiene presentation" of illegally imported meat.”
— Lucy Manzano, Head of Port Health and Public Protection, Dover Port Health Authority · describing condition of seized smuggled meat after 20 years in port health
“During the examination of these vehicles, we will find suitcases, boxes, bags, sacks, plastic tubs etc. containing vast quantities of meat. This will often be unmarked and in a putrid/dirty state. Very little temperature [control] has taken place with maybe an ice block or two and there can be copious amounts of blood in the storage container used.”
— Port Health Team Leader, Dover · describing conditions of illegally imported meat discovered during vehicle searches
“"we seriously worry how we could, as an organisation and a society, manage" another disease outbreak.”
— Dr Jude McCann, Chief Executive, Farming Community Network · expressing concern about mental health impact of disease threat on farming sector
“It is our view that the UK has avoided another major disease outbreak from illegally imported meat by luck rather than design.”
— Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee · committee's overall assessment of UK biosecurity resilience
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Source · parliament.uk record ↗

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