Sok Heng Chhiv did not know it was illegal to buy meat from this source. Photo / Thinkstock
Sok Heng Chhiv did not know it was illegal to buy meat from this source. Photo / Thinkstock
A Whangarei bakery manager has been fined after being convicted of buying unregulated home-kill meat she intended to use in produce sold across the counter.
In Whangarei District Court on Monday Sok Heng Chhiv, 30, pleaded guilty to a charge of buying unregulated meat, which had not been processed inaccordance with the Animal Products Act. The charge was laid by the Ministry for Primary Industries and Chhiv was fined $1125 and the unregulated meat was forfeited.
She had bought the meat from Whangarei homekill operator Arron Ogle, 40, director of Homekill Services, who was last month convicted of selling 71.7kg of unregulated meat and fined $2250.
The court heard on Monday that May 21, last year, an MPI animal products officer inspected Whau Valley Hot Bread Shop in Whangarei, then jointly owned and managed by Chhiv and her husband.
The officer found 71.7kg of beef that Chhiv had no receipts for. Meat for human consumption must be documented throughout the food chain so it can be traced back to its farm of origin should there be a health or hygiene issue.
Chhiv said she had bought 60kg of diced beef and 11.7kg of beef fillet and rump steak for $500 from "Aaron" the previous day. She said she had not bought meat from "Aaron" before, but did so because it was cheaper than the butcher and good quality. She said "Aaron" was a home-kill operator, but did not know it was illegal to buy meat from this source.
MPI district compliance manager Whangarei Darren Edwards said this prosecution saw the completion of an investigation that had looked at the supply and selling of unregulated meat.
Meat sold for human consumption must be processed to Animal Products Act standards to ensure there is no risk for consumers.
