The Yuen Long Police District and the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department smashed an unlicensed cold storage warehouse covering an area of about 200,000 square feet on Mai Po Long Road, Lok Ma Chau yesterday (18), and seized more than 5,000 metric tons of frozen meat, estimated to be worth more than 2 billion. Yuan, and arrested a man on suspicion of operating an unlicensed cold store.
The Chief Criminal Inspector of the Yuen Long Police District, Lien Kin Tak, explained the case this (19th) afternoon, saying that the police had received intelligence earlier that someone was suspected of violating the "Food Business Regulation" and operating a cold room without a license.
After in-depth investigation, the police and the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department took action yesterday morning and raided a container yard covering an area of about 200,000 square feet at No. 105 Mai Po Long Road. More than 200 containers, commonly known as freezers, with a freezing function were seized on the premises. Of the containers, and different types of frozen meat were seized in the batch of freezers.
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After investigation, FEHD staff arrested a male director of the container yard on suspicion of operating an unlicensed cold store.
The arrested person is a 34-year-old local man surnamed Wang, who is believed to have a triad background.
The frozen meat seized in the case was mainly edible meat, including pigs, cattle, sheep and animal storage. Due to the number of containers involved and the large number of frozen meat, the staff of the FEHD are still checking and counting.
According to preliminary inspections, each container contains approximately 25 tonnes of frozen meat, with an estimated market value of approximately 8 million to 10 million yuan.
Lian Jiande continued that it is believed that the container yard involved in the case started operating in June this year. Based on the fact that more than 200 freezers contained frozen meat, it is estimated that the frozen meat involved in the case exceeded 5,600 metric tons, with a market value of more than 2 billion yuan.
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According to the police, the case may be closed due to the epidemic situation. The criminals stored the frozen meat in a similar container. The motive of the crime is still under investigation. It is not ruled out that the frozen meat involved in the case was smuggled, but there is no evidence to show that it was smuggled meat. It will be one of the directions for follow-up investigations later; I believe this joint operation has smashed a large-scale gang operating unlicensed cold storage.
FEHD’s Yuen Long District Acting Director of Health Liu Kwok-wai said that about 70 metric tons of meat and internal possessions were counted without a health certificate.
He pointed out that the investigation found that the frozen meat involved in the case was stored properly, but the meat found without a sanitary certificate would be locked up.
As for the source and whereabouts of the frozen meat involved, it is still under investigation. It is believed that the sources include Germany, Chile, Australia, etc., and no outflow to the market has been found yet.
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