At a traffic control near Aachen in Germany and the Belgian border, police officers pulled over a van with a load that literally and figuratively smelled.
After the driver opened the doors of the non-refrigerated cargo space Monday morning, German agents saw numerous cardboard boxes containing nearly a ton of fish and, according to the transporter, fried bats underneath. The 31-year-old man, who had no identity papers and driver’s license with him, had left Belgium with the cargo, according to a police press release.
The inspectors immediately informed the office for consumer protection, animal welfare and veterinary services of the city region. That sent a vet to the relevant parking lot in the Brand district, southeast of Aachen. The female official ordered the seizure of the unrefrigerated food.
The federal police confiscated the van because it was not inspected and insured. The driver turned out to have the Ivorian nationality and to be from Italy. He was detained for traffic violations and illegal entry. The thirty-something also awaits an administrative procedure for infringement of food hygiene legislation. In addition, it will be checked whether he violated the Species Protection Act with the fried bats.
The suspect was brought before the prosecutor on Tuesday. He ordered his pre-trial detention pending surrender to Italy.
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