Magistrates at Folkestone, Kent, fined a 63-year-old retired man from West Kingdown, Sevenoaks on 30 March for illegally importing more than three-quarters of a tonne of live carp into the country from France. Graeme James Beith, who did not attend court, was fined the maximum amount of £5,000 and ordered to pay full costs totalling £6,690.
The offence took place in November 2006 at Dover. Mr Beith had attempted to import 64 carp – each weighing between 25 lbs and 43 lbs – without health certification. Fish health regulations require all imports of live fish to be accompanied by health certification.
The offence came to light as a result of HM Revenue and Customs activity. They handed the matter over to inspectors from the Centre for Environment, Fisheries & Aquaculture Science (Cefas), and officers from the State Veterinary Service were also involved in dealing with the incident.
When stopped at the UK port Mr Beith denied buying anything in France but when his hired van was searched the carp were found. He later told a Cefas investigator that he had collected the fish from an Englishman in Vitrey, France. Mr Beith said that a man in a public house in Farningham, Kent, had paid him £800 to collect the fish from France.
Cefas investigator Stephen Maidment commented, “The circumstances of this case are almost identical to one in August last year, which leads us to believe the same person or persons are behind these offences. We would ask anyone with information on this or any other case involving fish smuggling to contact Cefas in strict confidence.â€
The fish were humanely slaughtered to prevent the threat of disease. Samples taken from the consignment were later examined at the Cefas laboratories in Weymouth, Dorset.
