Laurence Dollimore
THREE men have been arrested in Polígono de Marratxí after they were discovered selling salmonella infused meat across Mallorca.
Police discovered 50 tonnes of expired frozen meat in a processing facility – which has now been shut down – set for sale to the public.
The men are accused of a number of crimes against public health and social security as well as forgery.
The illegal operation was discovered after a customer complained about the quality of meat they had purchased.
Laboratory tests discovered that the dodgy meat contained salmonella.
Police raided the meat company for the first time on March 8, discovering that the firm was changing and falsifying expiry dates on their products so that they could sell gone-off meat.
The company also flaunted sanitary rules, thawing meat in hot water and adding pig blood to minced meat to increase the weight and therefore sale price.
In addition to the meat discovered in the storage facility, police discovered 30 tonnes of frozen meat that had expired aboard a boat belonging to one of the men.
Other food products were also found aboard, including smoked salmon, cooked octopus and canned tins whose expiration date was over three years before in some instances.
Police described the smell as ‘nauseating’.
The employees of the company have also filed a complaint against the men arrested, arguing they were exploited.
They claim they only received salaries of between €600 and €900 despite working from 6am to 4pm from Monday to Saturday.
The investigation continues.
