Europol busts 62 in shellfish mafia crackdown across Europe
Joint actions by police from Spain, France, and Portugal led to the confiscation of 27 metric tonnes (approximately 30 tons) of shellfish that may be contaminated with the hepatitis virus. The seafood posed a serious health threat.
As "Bild" indicates, shellfish, though considered a delicacy, can be dangerous to our health. Eating seafood infected with the hepatitis virus can have unpleasant consequences. Therefore, shellfish must be thoroughly checked before being introduced to the market. Mafias specializing in the illegal trade of seafood do not care about testing, focusing instead on profits reaching millions of euros.
A joint operation by police, customs services, and environmental and food protection agencies in France, Spain, and Portugal revealed this practice. During the 17-day operation, 30 tons (66.140 pounds) of shellfish worth 10 million euros (15 million Canadian dollars) were confiscated. Europol also reported the arrest of 62 members of various criminal groups.
The criminals were particularly interested in Japanese carpet shellfish, which are an invasive species. They were collected in Portugal and Spain by Chinese workers. The goods were then sold in France. Workers, often illegally smuggled into Europe, received 1 euro (about CAD 1.5) per kilogram (approximately 2 pounds), while the sale price was 25 euros (about CAD 38). Even from this low wage, little reached the workers, who were indebted to triads and forced into dangerous work. "Bild" reminds that in February, 19 Chinese shellfish gatherers drowned off the coast of England when their employer miscalculated the tides.
Mafias forge health certificates
The seafood mafia forged health certificates to make the shellfish appear safe to consume. - This could lead to serious health risks since consuming contaminated shellfish exposes consumers to serious illnesses, such as hepatitis, warns Europol, quoted by "Bild".
During the operation, 6 tons (13.200 pounds) of illegally caught glass eels were also confiscated. These are strictly protected but fetch a price of 6000 euros (about CAD 8,980) per kilogram (approximately 2 pounds) on the Asian market. The total value is up to 36 million euros (about CAD 54 million).
