Caviar is not worth the candle: who sells non-legal delicacies to Russians
Caviar traditionally occupies an important place on the tables of Russians during the New Year period. But it doesn't always get there legally, and sometimes it turns out to be a fake. Izvestia found out how the delicacy gets to the "left" suppliers and where the fake product is produced.
Caviar season
In Lyubertsy, near Moscow, the police eliminated a large-scale underground production of red caviar. More than 12 tons of low-quality products (as confirmed by research) were seized.
"The police found and seized more than 8.5 thousand cans of finished products, 12 tons of fake caviar, machines for sealing cans, containers, as well as fictitious declarations of conformity of the quality of goods and draft records. According to preliminary estimates, the value of the seized goods is over 7 million rubles," said Irina Volk, an official representative of the Russian Interior Ministry.
Operational search measures
The businessmen began to prepare for the season in six months — they bought huge volumes of imitated caviar, packaged it in cans with logos of non-existent companies. Five citizens of neighboring countries who did not have the appropriate qualifications, work permits and medical books were engaged in all this. Administrative protocols have been drawn up against them under Article 18.8 of the Administrative Code of the Russian Federation.
But it is not only with the help of counterfeiting that artisans earn. In the New Year, huge stocks of seafood harvested by poachers are sold.
In December, the Rosselkhoznadzor reported on the seizure of 50 tons of expired salmon in the capital.
Withdrawal of caviar in the Khabarovsk Territory
"The products were withdrawn from circulation and placed in isolated storage for further disposal in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of the Russian Federation," the ministry said in a statement.
In November, employees of the Khabarovsk Territory State Traffic Inspectorate intercepted a shipment of 100 kg of black caviar, the Interior Ministry said. The delicacy was packaged in 186 plastic containers.
The detainees face criminal liability under the article of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation on the illegal extraction and trafficking of especially valuable wild animals and aquatic biological resources. It should be recalled that the caviar of red book fish species, including sturgeon, is prohibited for extraction.
The economy of black caviar
The profit from the sale of poached and expired caviar is comparable to the income of the drug business, a source in law enforcement agencies told Izvestia.
— The cost of caviar production by poachers is several times lower than honest fishing. Shadow workers do not bear the tax burden, the cost of sanitation, high-quality supplies, qualified personnel, and storage conditions. They don't try to get quotas for trapping and so on. Their margin is exorbitant and comparable to the profit from the sale of elite drugs.
— The Caspian Sea remains the main shadow zone from where black caviar comes to the regions. Almost all of the red caviar comes from the Far East, in particular, from the Sakhalin Region and the Khabarovsk Territory.
According to him, the minimum retail price for red caviar in stores is about 10 thousand rubles per kilogram, while poaching products are sold at a discount of 20%.
— On average, poachers offer the end user half a kilo (a plastic disc jar) for 4,000 rubles. The black one is much more difficult to get — there is more control over it from the authorities. Not everyone can afford this delicacy — the price in the store is at least 5,000 rubles per 100 g and strongly depends on the type of fish. Poachers usually have one in three compared to red, but not everyone has it, as it is more difficult to store. For health, such products are Russian roulette.
The officer draws attention to the fact that quite often, shadow traders sell caviar of previously caught fish to their customers, which can be stored in refrigerators for years, the shelf life of products has often expired, and it is dangerous to eat it.
Consequences of the feast
Low-quality caviar, and even improperly stored, can cause severe food poisoning, says nutritionist Svetlana Burtseva.
— A product produced and stored in unsanitary conditions without control is an ideal breeding ground for bacteria (for example, E. coli or salmonella), — says the specialist. Poisoning can lead to severe vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration and hospitalization, completely ruining the holiday.
In addition, poor-quality or expired raw materials, non-compliance with processing technologies can cause dangerous parasites and their larvae to enter the body.
Finally, instead of a natural delicacy, you may be sold a fake based on gelatin, starch, flavors and dyes (including prohibited ones). Using such a "product" is a blow to the liver, kidneys and an allergic reaction as a gift.
The ABC of Security
The only reliable way to save money, nerves and health is to buy caviar only in large trusted stores and retail chains. This is a guarantee that the products have all the necessary documents (veterinary certificates, declarations of conformity), and the conditions of transportation and storage (continuous "cold chain") have been observed.
The expert recommends paying attention to several properties of high-quality caviar.
"Natural caviar turns slightly white when immersed in hot water (the protein coagulates), but the water itself remains transparent,— says Burtseva. — Cloudy broth is a sure sign of a fake with artificial additives.
The specialist urges to save on the quality of the main New Year's delicacy, this can lead to huge expenses for treatment.
— Health is not an area where you should trust dubious deals "with your hands."
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
