44 kilos of ‘hot’ meat seized in Isabela

CITY OF ILAGAN –– Police and agriculture quarantine officials on Thursday confiscated about 44 kilograms of undocumented meat believed to be contaminated.

Dr. Roberto Busania, technical director for operations and extension services of the Department of Agriculture in Cagayan Valley, said the meat was seized at a checkpoint along the national road in San Mateo town, Isabela province.

The meat was immediately buried in a safe dump even as local authorities had not checked whether these were infected with the African Swine Fever (ASF).

“The seized meat was buried for safety and security reasons as we had subsisting swine entry ban,” Busania said.

The provinces of Isabela, Quirino, and Nueva Vizcaya had earlier imposed a total ban on swine entry to prevent ASF infestation. Villamor Visaya Jr./lzb