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Shocking food scandal secured large quantities of counterfeit products
Interpol and Europol have secured tons of counterfeit food and drinks during various raids. As the European Police Department in The Hague announced, confiscated products include, among others, colored olives, tampered wine, and artificial fertilizer-extended sugar. The latter could possibly have been imported from Sudan to Germany.
Fake products are a serious health hazard
It could become a scandal of a devastating magnitude: Police and customs have secured a record amount of counterfeit food and drink during raids in 57 countries. This is reported by the European Police Authority "Europol" in a recent press release. According to this, during the period from November 2015 to February 2016, more than 10,000 tonnes of counterfeit food and one million liters of counterfeit drinks were confiscated in Operation Opson V, co-ordinated by Europol and Interpol. "Counterfeit and dangerous food and drink threatens the health and safety of people around the world who often innocently buy these potentially very dangerous goods," Michael Ellis of Interpol is quoted in the message.
Europol reports on securing a record amount of counterfeit food last year. What can actually be in the food on our plate is shocking. (Image: Jonathan Stutz / fotolia.com) 85 tons of olives with copper sulphate
Among other things, the confiscated goods involved 85 tonnes of olives discovered by Italian investigators. Counterfeiters had treated the olives with a copper sulphate solution to intensify the color. A dangerous thing, because copper sulphate is poisonous and can cause a burning or pain behind the breastbone and nausea and vomiting after taking it. In Greece and the United Kingdom, officials found that several illegal factories were faking alcoholic beverages such as wine, whiskey and vodka. In addition to the 10,000 liters of fake or adulterated alcoholics, the police in the UK also confiscated counterfeit labels of branded products.
Discovered fake chocolate and dangerous supplements
In some cases, airport controls identified international travelers who wanted to import illegal products. For example, customs officials at Zaventem airport in Belgium discovered several kilos of monkey meat, and French officers confiscated and destroyed 11 kilos of grasshoppers and 20 kilos of caterpillars. According to the report, the police in South Korea arrested a man who had smuggled food supplements sold online as a natural product. In fact, they contained harmful ingredients. The sale of the counterfeit weight loss products was estimated to have generated approximately $ 170,000 within 10 months.
In Hungary, Italy, Lithuania and Romania, the customs and police authorities also found fake chocolate, sweets and non-alcoholic sparkling wine, which was addressed to children and destined for export to West Africa. In Sudan, the authorities secured almost nine tons of artificial fertilizer-stretched sugar. A particularly explosive find for German consumers, because in this country too, sugar imported from Sudan is used in industry. This is governed by the sugar regime of the European Union, which states that 15% of EU consumption must be met primarily by developing countries. "Today's rising food prices and the global food chain are providing criminals the opportunity to sell counterfeit and substandard foods in a multi-billion dollar criminal sector that poses serious potential health risks for unsuspecting customers," said Chris Vansteenkiste of Europol. (No)