A partnership operation by Dudley Council and the National Food Crime Unit (NFCU) resulted in four arrests and the disposal of over four tonnes of illegal meat, the Food Standards Agency said in a report published on 4 August 2026. Officers from the local authority and the NFCU worked with West Midlands Police, HMRC and Home Office representatives at an address in Dudley targeting an unapproved meat cutting plant. About four and a quarter metric tonnes of illegal meat were removed from the market, and the local authority took enforcement action over immediate food safety concerns.

The NFCU and FSA issued a Food Alert for Action and are working with local authorities to trace the meat and remove it from the market. NFCU officers are examining recovered product and paperwork and have started a criminal investigation. Will Simpson, Regional Intelligence Officer at the NFCU, said the operation formed part of ongoing work to disrupt the illegal meat trade and urged food businesses to carry out due diligence on suppliers.

Councillor Patrick Harley, Leader of Dudley Council, said the operation showed the value of partnership working in protecting residents and confidence in the food supply chain. The FSA said illegal meat bypasses UK safety and hygiene checks and can carry diseases and contaminants. It directed anyone with suspicions of food crime to report them to the NFCU.