US /

That's a Lot of Pork: Feds Make Largest Agricultural Seizure Ever

1M pounds of pork seized at New Jersey port
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Mar 18, 2019 6:00 PM CDT
1M Pounds of Pork Seized Amid Swine Fever Fears
Stock photo.   (Getty Images/winterling)

Federal authorities say 1 million pounds of pork products allegedly smuggled from China have been seized at a New Jersey port, the AP reports. Troy Miller, field operations director for the Customs and Border Protection in New York and New Jersey, says it's the largest agricultural seizure ever made in the United States. Officials feared the meat could be contaminated with African swine fever virus, which has killed more than a million pigs in China. It's not dangerous to humans, but officials say an outbreak in America could cause $10 billion in damage to the pork industry in just one year.

Officials say the pork was smuggled over several weeks in containers, where it was hidden by packages of noodles and laundry detergent. They say the meat was "primarily cured," and the cargo containers weren't refrigerated. (Recently recalled: nearly 40 tons of ground turkey.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X