The Food Standards Agency’s National Food Crime Unit (NFCU) secured the confiscation order after a Proceeds of Crime Act confiscation hearing at Isleworth Crown Court last month.
During the hearing, Ian Thomas, 46, of Gorseinon Road, Penllergaer in Swansea, was ordered to pay £31,250.51 for his involvement in the illegal slaughter, manufacture and distribution of ‘smokies’ across England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland.
The term smokies refers to skin-on sheep or goat meat, produced by singeing the fleece off the unskinned carcass, giving it a golden-brown colour and smoky odour.
The production of smokies is illegal in the UK, which led to the manufacturing process being carried out in unapproved premises that are unlikely to comply with the strict hygiene standards and requirements for meat or food preparation.
“This case shows that we’re not just content to prosecute those who commit food crime, we will also pursue them to recover the profits they made from their illegal activities and to recoup taxpayers’ money spent on investigating and prosecuting them,” said David Williams, senior financial investigator at the NFCU.
“Food crime can have a serious impact which puts communities at risk, and it also undermines legitimate business and the investment and economic growth that go with it.
“We support legitimate businesses, and we are proactively supporting them by disrupting and stopping the criminal element.”
In other Food Standards Agency news, the organisation’s chief scientific officer will step down in September 2025.
Professor Robin May is stepping down after completing a five-year term in the role, and will take up a new position as interim chief scientific officer at the UK Health Security Agency.
The Food Standards Agency has said it will launch an open recruitment campaign shortly to appoint a permanent successor.
