A senior health official has raised alarm over illegal and potentially diseased meat being sold in UK shops.

Lucy Manzano, head of the Dover Port Health Authority, warned MPs that the meat has bypassed essential health checks and is now available on "most high streets."

"DEFRA keeps claiming there are robust controls, but they simply don’t exist," she stated, criticizing the Government’s lack of a clear plan to regulate food from arrival to inspection, which takes place 22 miles away.

Manzano also presented evidence showing that the system meant to protect the UK’s biosecurity is failing.

Her warning comes amid concerns over the Government’s post-Brexit border checks, introduced in April 2024, which relocate inspections from Dover to Sevington. Reports suggest weak enforcement has allowed many lorries to evade checks.

Parliament’s Environment Select Committee has launched an inquiry into the effectiveness of these new regulations, as recent outbreaks of deadly animal diseases in Europe heighten fears of contamination.

Earlier this week, data revealed nearly 100 tonnes of illegal meat was seized at Dover last year.

DEFRA, however, insists the Government remains committed to safeguarding UK biosecurity and is working closely with enforcement agencies.