90 kilograms of unhealthy crayfish seized at Antalya Bus Terminal

Antalya Metropolitan Municipality Municipal Police teams continue their inspections to protect the health of the city's residents and ensure food safety. Within this scope, during routine controls, a suspicious situation was detected at Antalya Intercity Bus Terminal. 6 boxes of goods unloaded at the passenger drop-off platforms were carefully examined by the teams due to being unattended and their manner of transport. In the initial examinations, it was determined that the boxes were sent from Kırşehir and were not picked up, so the situation was investigated in depth.

In the detailed examination, it was revealed that the boxes contained approximately 90 kilograms of live freshwater crayfish. However, the products had been transported under inappropriate conditions and in a manner contrary to hygiene rules. This transportation, carried out without adhering to cold chain rules, caused a large part of the crayfish to perish. It was emphasized that if these foods, transported under unhealthy conditions, were supplied to the market, they would seriously threaten human health.

Kepez District Directorate of Agriculture and Forestry teams dispatched to the scene performed a technical examination on the seized crayfish. In the controls, it was determined that a large part of the crayfish were under 10 centimeters in size, which is within the scope of the fishing ban and is of critical importance for the continuation of the species. The fact that they were both under legal sizes and the transportation conditions were unsuitable confirmed that the products were not suitable for consumption.

Following all these determinations, legal proceedings were initiated and heavy fines were imposed on the bus company. The transportation company was penalized with an administrative fine under Law No. 5996 on Veterinary Services, Plant Health, Food and Feed and Law No. 1380 on Fisheries on the grounds that it did not comply with transportation conditions and could not provide the necessary transport-origin documents. It was stated that such inspections would continue uninterruptedly to prevent similar irregular transportations.

The seized crayfish were permanently destroyed by the municipality veterinarians on the grounds that they were unhealthy and violated the cold chain. Since the animals had perished and lost their freshness, the products were not allowed to be evaluated as food in any way. This operation once again brought to the forefront the decisive stance of local administrations against illegal food trade that disregards human health and disrupts the natural balance.