The National Republican Guard (GNR) seized more than 2,000 kg of Japanese shellfish illegally caught in the Alcochete area on Thursday, police announced in a statement Saturday.
The Setúbal Territorial Command of the NDP, through the Montijo Territorial Detachment, seized 2,095 kg of Japanese mollusks during the supervision of the bivalve mollusk industry on April 6 in the municipality of Alcochete.
As part of this action, the GNR military approached three vehicles transporting bivalve mollusks in an unusual situation and identified the drivers, three men aged 37 to 41, who were fined for transporting mollusks “without a registration document of bivalve molluscs, live, echinoderms.” and a sheather.”
According to the GNR, these actions are aimed at raising awareness and curbing the illegal harvesting of these bivalve mollusks in the municipality of Alcochete, since catching, depositing and shipping this species of bivalve molluscs without cleaning or sanitation control can endanger public health if they enter into the consumption chain, due to possible contamination with toxins.
Thus, a document proving the origin is necessary to ensure the traceability of bivalve mollusks, as well as to prevent their sale, added in a note.