Stafford unit raided in crackdown on illegal meat
Equipment used for the illegal production of meat has been seized from a unit in Stafford after trading standards officers swooped.
Items including packaging and labels were seized on Tuesday from the industrial unit off Beaconside.
It is thought health stamps from other businesses may have been fraudulently used. And bags of foodstuffs such as rusk, used to pack out burgers, were also discovered on the site.
The unit was not in use when it was raided but was still kitted out for meat production.
Council bosses believe it was being used over the Christmas period, when demand for meat and in particular high-end products such as venison would have been higher.
Venison was among the meats which did not have authorised health stamps which were found at units in Uttoxeter and South Derbyshire.
The investigation followed an initial call to Stafford Borough Council by a member of the public. Test purchases of meat – believed to be linked to these units – at farmers' markets across Staffordshire showed some were contaminated.
The council says the raids should serve as a warning that they will crackdown on these kinds of illegal practices.
Staffordshire County Council's cabinet member for economy and infrastructure Mark Winnington said: "Food fraud damages the local economy, affecting legitimate businesses, jobs and consumers. We have joined together and fortunately managed to stop illegal activity.
"The products seized have no traceability and do not have approved health stamps. If it is found that they have been fraudulently using another businesses' stamp this could have put jobs on the line."
