A major joint operation led to the seizure of 20 tons of canned yellow fin tunadestined for the Italian market precisely in view of the Christmas period. The cargo, worth 250,000 euroscame from Senegal and was intercepted at the port of La Spezia thanks to a computer investigation. The seizure highlighted serious irregularities, including the lack of traceabilitya violation of European regulations on the trade of fish products.
Suspicious cargo of tuna at the port of La Spezia: how it was discovered
The seizure occurred after a report from competent bodies that monitor the influx of fish products into the European market, especially in view of the Christmas holidays, when the demand for tuna increases. The Italian authorities used a sophisticated system of computer monitoringcapable of tracking the goods in real time. This allowed us to identify the suspicious container at the port of La Spezialoaded with approx 20 tons of canned tunawhich was about to be distributed in Italian supermarkets.
The cargo came from a freighter that left from Senegal and did not comply with Italian and European food safety regulations. During the checks, they emerged documentary irregularitiesincluding the lack of catch certificates and the absence of traceability, essential elements to guarantee product safety. The seized tuna did not have any document certifying the legal origin of the goods, which immediately triggered the intervention of the police.
The Italian authorities stopped the cargo at the port of La Spezia, preventing it from ending up on the shelves of Italian supermarkets. The Ship Captain Alberto Battaglini stated that traceability is essential not only for consumer safety, but also for compliance with international regulations on sustainable fishing.
Risks to public health and the fight against illegal fishing
The seizure represents a serious blow for the illegal fishinga practice that puts not only the health of consumers but also the sustainability of marine resources at risk. Yellowfin tuna is a species considered valuable and its fishing is regulated by strict international laws.
There lack of catch certificates makes it impossible to guarantee that the seized tuna was caught legally and in an environmentally friendly manner. Unregulated fishing practices can seriously damage marine ecosystems and compromise product quality.
Traceability therefore allows us to guarantee that the canned tuna comes from controlled and certified supply chainsa crucial aspect for food safety (already put at risk by the high presence of mercury). The operation prevented untraceable, and therefore potentially dangerous, goods from ending up in Italian supermarkets. In fact, food safety cannot be guaranteed when the origin and production chain of the product are not known.
The speech highlights the growing importance of rigorous controls for the safety of food imported into Italy. The Coast Guard and the Customs and Monopolies Agency are engaged in monitoring commercial flows, with the aim of protecting not only the health of consumers, but also Italian fish resources. The seizure fits into a broader context of fight against illegal fishingwhich damages the Made in Italy like other recent and famous cases, for example that of the Chinese tomato.
