March 12 to April 30, Planned Inspections at Over 40 Locations
The special judicial police of Gyeongsangnam-do will conduct a planned crackdown on livestock product handling businesses in the province from the 12th of this month to the 30th of next month to prevent illegal distribution of livestock products.
The special judicial police plan to inspect about 40 livestock product handling businesses in the province for ▲selling imported livestock products disguised as domestic ▲manufacturing and selling livestock products without permission or notification ▲manufacturing and selling livestock products that violate safety standards and regulations ▲unfair labeling and advertising ▲and compliance with other food business operators' obligations.
Gyeongnam Province's special judicial police are investigating the interior of a company where illegal distribution of livestock products was detected. [Photo by Gyeongnam Provincial Government]
Previously, the special judicial police announced that they had cracked down on livestock product sales outlets and school meal suppliers in the province in the second half of last year, identifying 10 violations.
In particular, they explained that fraudulent methods have become more sophisticated and advanced, such as disguising pork hind legs as sirloin or front legs and supplying them as school meal ingredients, or forging purchase transaction statements by marking grade 3 Korean beef as grade 1 Korean beef.
They added that requests for strengthened inspections from residents and organizations have increased, such as the request for enhanced inspections of school meal ingredient suppliers at the residents' meeting in December last year, and the need to inspect illegal activities of school meal suppliers raised at the Agricultural, Maritime, and Fisheries Committee of the Provincial Council in January this year, along with demands for strict measures against illegal distribution of food and livestock products.
Inside a livestock product illegal distribution and sales company caught by the Gyeongnam Provincial Special Judicial Police in 2023. [Photo by Gyeongnam Provincial Government]
Accordingly, following the crackdown on illegal distribution of livestock products conducted from October to November last year, the special judicial police plan to respond to illegal distribution and sales activities in the province through this planned crackdown.
Park Young-jun, head of the Social Disaster Division of the province, said, “Some unscrupulous businesses prioritize economic gain through illegal activities, causing even conscientious businesses to be misunderstood,” and added, “We will actively continue inspection activities to ensure fair trade of agricultural and livestock products distributed in the province.”
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