MANILA, Philippines—P100-million worth of "hot meat" from China and Brazil was seized by the operatives of the Presidential Anti-Smuggling Group in three cold storage facilities in Valenzuela City Friday.

The smuggled meat products, the PASG said in a statement, contained "China-made" frozen Peking ducks, rice ducks, geese, fish fillets, giant squids and seafood, as well as pork and beef from Brazil.

By virtue of a mission order signed by PASG Head Undersecretary Antonio Villar, Jr., the PASG had raided the three cold storage facilities all owned by Solivar Trading, located at 73-B Maysan Road in Valenzuela City.

The food firm’s owner, Wilson Ho, was not present during the raid but the PASG said the other company officials had allowed them to inspect the cold storage facilities claiming that they have valid import permits to carry the meat products.

Solivar Trading was not able to produce the said import documents even after the raid Friday.

The onset of the holidays had prompted the PASG to conduct inspections on the existence of illegally imported meat products among meat sellers in the country.

Smuggled meat poses health risks to the population since they did not go through the required quality meat inspections of the Department of Agriculture and the Bureau of Food and Drugs.

The confiscated meat in Valenzuela, Villar said, looked like it was ready for disposal to the local market in time for the Christmas season.

“For all we know, we might have a tragedy [waiting to happen] should these frozen meat contain Avian flu virus … We are in danger of experiencing this malady all because some businessmen and corrupt Customs personnel are conniving in return for huge profit,” said Villar.

The PASG is currently preparing to file charges against Solivar Trading for violations of the Tariff and Customs Code of the Philippines.