Rome’s NAS carabinieri seized 260 kilos of fish hidden in the trolleys of passengers coming from Asia and destined for some all-you-can-eat sushi restaurants in the capital
Sushi has been popular in Italy for some time now but every now and then, thanks to controls, illegal acts are uncovered, and not recently. The latest news on the matter comes from a Nas operation which has brought to light a serious phenomenon illegal transport and sale of fish products from China, destined for some All You Can Eat restaurants.
The checks made it possible to find suitcases full of fish and shellfishcrammed in inadequate conditions and which were obviously also dangerous for the health of consumers.
During the operation, they were kidnapped 260 kilos of products intended for sushiwith a total of around 40 kilos of fish for each suitcase. This, stored in polystyrene boxes and covered in ice, traveled in precarious hygienic conditions, and was destined for ethnic restaurants in the capital.
After the discovery, the restaurants involved were immediately closed as a precaution, but the operation highlighted a broader problem: the supply of fish from uncertified sources would not be limited only to Rome, but would also extend to several other Italian cities, including Milan.
The investigations began after the NAS began monitoring some travellers, following reports received from the Fiumicino Customs Agency regarding an anomalous increase in travel from China to Italy.
These were thus discovered “couriers” who in practice pretended to be tourists, but in their luggage transported only fish and fish products, to then be delivered to ethnic restaurants, mainly in the central and eastern area of Rome.
Once it arrived at its destination, the fish was used on the premises without any guarantee of its origin. Tracing the traceability of food was in fact practically impossible, which also made it difficult to ascertain whether the fish came from contaminated areas or from controlled suppliers.
This phenomenon, in addition to representing a serious risk to public health, inevitably makes us reflect on the importance of carefully checking (as far as this is possible) the sushi places you intend to frequent.
The situation is worrying, since the phenomenon of illegal food transport appears to be well structured and growing, and it is certainly not limited only to the capital. The authorities reported that in 2024, 57 premises were temporarily closed due to irregularities related to food safety, including violations in compiling the HACCP manual and deficiencies in essential documentation to guarantee the quality and safety of food products.
The Rome NAS Carabinieri are continuing their investigations to reconstruct the route of the seized fish, trying to understand whether or not it is an already consolidated and organized system.
