Korean brings in ‘hot’ meat, seafood

Officials at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) confiscated yesterday some 90 kilos of meat and seafood, which were not covered by import and sanitary permits, brought in by a South Korean on board an Asiana Airlines flight.

Fish quarantine chief Felipe Santamaria and veterinary chief Santiago Caballero said the passenger, identified as Jeung Hi Kim, she said she brought the prohibited items to be delivered to a Korean colleague, Cho Myung Sok, who operates a restaurant in Manila.

She claimed to be unaware that she is bringing in probihited items. An inventory of the items showed that there were choice cuts of beef and pork, frozen mackerel, squid, and expensive shredded dried fish.

Customs flight supervisor Antonio Beses and Roxanne Antonio said the passenger declared only the fish, not the meat, and was apparently unaware that her cargo lacks  the necessary veterinary and health certificates.

Since the year 2000, the Department of Agriculture has banned meat and marine products, including vegetables, flowers and fruits from nearby Asian countries that are listed as sources of animal and plant diseases.   – Rudy Santos