Police Destroy Four Tons of Illegal Treif Meat

Police on Thursday said they had confiscated in the Arab town of Kalansua in central Israel no fewer than four tons of “illegal” meat – treif meat and chicken – slaughtered without kashrus or veterinary supervision, which smugglers had brought into Israel with the intention of passing it off as kosher. The meat has been destroyed and no longer poses a threat to the public, police said in a statement.

In a joint operation, officials of the Health Ministry and police seized illegal meat and chicken that was slaughtered improperly. Officials believe that most of the meat was transported from Arab villages in Palestinian Authority-controlled areas. The source of the meat was not identified, and no paperwork accompanied it.

Officials said that the meat – unsupervised, and likely a health risk – would likely have ended up on the plates of Israelis. Officials said that the best way to avoid these dangers was for consumers to ensure that the proper certifications, both from a kosher and health perspective, were displayed prominently in stores where they shop.