Over 11kg of illegal bushmeat seized in south London crackdown

More than 11kg of illegal bushmeat has been seized and a man arrested following a food crime operation in south-east London.

Officers from the Food Standards Agency’s National Food Crime Unit (NFCU), working alongside the Metropolitan Police, carried out the raid at a property in the Peckham Rye area as part of efforts to tackle illegal meat entering the UK food chain.

During the operation, authorities recovered bushmeat including cane rat and antelope.

Bushmeat is wild animal meat, often sourced from tropical regions, and is illegal to import into the UK without proper controls.

A 51-year-old man was arrested at the scene and has since been released under investigation while enquiries continue.

Officials said the operation forms part of ongoing work to tackle the illegal meat trade in the UK, which can pose a risk to public health.

Illegally imported meat bypasses strict safety and hygiene checks required for food sold in the UK and may carry disease or contamination.

The NFCU said it had worked closely with police and specialist partners to identify those suspected of involvement.

An NFCU spokesperson said the operation was part of efforts “to disrupt the illegal meat trade and prevent unsafe products from reaching the public”, adding that consumers should not buy or eat such products as they may pose “serious health risks”.

The agency added it remains “vigilant to the threat of illegal meat entering the food chain” and will continue to take enforcement action.

The case comes amid wider concerns over illegal meat entering the UK food supply. In a separate investigation, more than £70,000 was seized from a meat fraud operation in London, where officers uncovered large quantities of animal by-products not intended for human consumption being processed for sale.

Anyone with concerns about food products is advised to report them to their local authority.