The Provincial Court of Palma has ruled against the owner of Cárnicas Vicente, a company based in Marratxí, sentencing him to one year and eleven months in prison for a crime against public health. In addition, he must pay 120,000 euros in compensation to the Conselleria de Salud for the expenses derived from the destruction of spoiled meat and pay 80,000 euros to a company for unpaid invoices. The ruling, to which Europa Press has had access, includes the disqualification of the defendant from any activity related to the sale of food for four years. Although the prosecution had requested two years’ imprisonment, the sentence was slightly reduced after the trial. On the other hand, the company Productos Cárnicos Mallorca, linked to the case, has been sanctioned with a fine of 18 months, with a daily quota of 18 euros. However, the legal representative of this company was acquitted as his knowledge of the fraudulent practices was not proven.
Hazardous practices and public health risk
The court has considered proven that, between 2013 and 2018, the convicted person executed various irregularities in the treatment of meat, putting the health of consumers at risk. These practices include:
- Thawing meat in buckets of hot water.
- Modify labels of expired products, placing later best-before dates.
- Preserving meat in a putrefied state or with an expiration date that is years past its expiration date.
- Use areas without adequate refrigeration to prepare orders.
In addition, the company was carrying out unauthorized activities, such as freezing dairy and fish products, repackaging cooked meat and slicing sausages and cheeses.
Inspections and police operation
The investigations began in 2018, when the Conselleria de Salud conducted several inspections that culminated in the suspension of activities of Cárnicas Vicente and the destruction of irregularly labeled merchandise. According to witnesses and evidence from what is known as operation Biltong, tons of meat were found with mold in unsanitary conditions. An agent who participated in the operation described finding pallets of frozen meat with a “very strong odor”. In addition, a Food Safety officer detailed how the conditions detected represented a serious danger to public health.
Defense and arguments of the defendant
The company’s manager denied the accusations during the trial, defending its freezing methods and assuring that “frozen meat can extend its shelf life”. However, these statements failed to counter the evidence presented by inspectors and investigators in the case.
