special edition: food fraud

Food among most intercepted in WCO operation

By staff reporter

- Last updated on GMT

WCO Asia Pacific operation seizes foodstuff
Foodstuffs were among the largest categories of products intercepted during a World Customs Organization (WCO) operation in the Asia/ Pacific (A/P) region.

WCO took the action with the Royal Malaysian Customs Department and the WCO Regional Intelligence Liaison Office (RILO) for the A/P region.

The joint enforcement Action against Counterfeiting and Piracy operation (Action IPR) was in December 2015 and was the first WCO operation in the region focusing on IPR, Health & Safety.

FoodQualityNews has asked WCO about the type of foodstuff and why it was seized but the agency has yet to respond.

The 12-day operation resulted in the interception of 521,602 items and 201,951kg, of illicit products across 498 cases.

The largest number of cases (45) involved medication to treat erectile dysfunction (ED), making it the most frequently intercepted counterfeit product.

In terms of volume of products, food (49,048 kg) was one of the largest categories intercepted.

WCO said it demonstrated that nothing is immune; even products which are expected to have the highest levels of safety and quality are being exploited by counterfeiters.

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