The Guardia Civil made a surprising discovery at Tenerife North Airport last week, when they searched a suitcase that contained prohibited food products, which were not subject to any health or safety controls. The incident has led to an investigation of two people for allegedly committing a public health offence related to the possible sale of unregulated food items.
The Guardia Civil’s Fiscal and Borders Section, operating under the supervision of the AEAT Customs Administration, was conducting routine checks on flights arriving from non-EU countries. During one of these inspections, officers suspected that two passengers might be carrying food products that had bypassed sanitary regulations.
Upon locating the suspects, the officers passed their luggage through the airport's X-ray system, which revealed the presence of various food items. When asked to open the suitcase, the passenger revealed a large quantity of meat, dairy, and fish products, all of which are prohibited from entering the European Union without proper health certification.
Authorities believe the illegal goods were intended for sale in stores located in Santa Cruz, however, with no documentation proving that the products had undergone sanitary inspections, the items were immediately seized and will be destroyed to prevent any potential public health risks.
This discovery highlights the ongoing efforts by customs and border officials to prevent the entry of unregulated products that could pose a danger to consumer health within the EU.
