FI17350

Request

Please provide the following information for the period from 1 January 2024 to the date of this request:

1. Illegal imports

The total number of seizures, interceptions or enforcement actions involving:

Please provide annual figures where available.

2. Quantity seized

The total quantity of material seized or intercepted during this period, broken down by year where possible.

3. Largest seizures

Details of the five largest seizures or interceptions made by your authority since 1 January 2023, including:

4. Disease risks

Please confirm whether any seizures or interceptions during this period were considered to pose a risk relating to:

Where applicable, please provide brief details of the incident.

5. Reports and briefings

Please provide copies of any reports, briefing notes or summaries produced since 1 January 2025 relating to:

The information for 2025 is available online as part of the FOI Disclosures Log at FI16666. The information for 2024 is also available online as part of the FOI Disclosures Log at FI15478. For the period from 1 January 2026 to 31 August 2026, the total number of seizures for illegal meat imports is 1,991.

The data for 2024 and 2025 is already published on the Council’s website via the links provided in response to question 1. For the period from 1 January 2026 to 31 August 2026, the total weight of illegal meat seized by DPHA was 151,805.73kg.

The Council considers that this information is exempt from disclosure under Section 31(1)(a) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. The Council considers that releasing details of individual seizures 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 requested.

The Dover Port Health Authority (DPHA) considers that all seizures of illegal products of animal origin present a risk of animal disease incursion. Seizures are undertaken in accordance with the safeguard measures in force at the time of seizure. These controls have been introduced by the UK Government to protect national biosecurity and prevent the introduction and spread of serious animal diseases, including African swine fever, foot and mouth disease, peste des petits ruminants, lumpy skin disease and sheep and goat pox. The products concerned are prohibited from entering Great Britain due to the risks Defra has assessed they present. Consequently, there is no requirement to assess whether an individual consignment poses a greater risk of a specific disease than another. Products are seized where they fail to comply with the relevant safeguard measures or import restrictions, which have been implemented in response to animal disease outbreaks and identified risks in exporting countries or regions. The importation of such products is unlawful in itself.

The DPHA has provided evidence to the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (EFRA) Committee's as part of their ongoing inquiry into Biosecurity and Animal Welfare. The Authority's submissions are available via the UK Parliament website at the following links: