A massive haul of oysters – purportedly packed up and leaving Ria do Alvor en-route for onward sale – has been ‘apprehended’ by a police sting operation, which ended up releasing the saltwater molluscs back into the wild.
Explain reports, the 720 kgs of oysters had been harvested from the Ria, which is off-limits for bivalve capture “due to the possibility of contamination by toxins”.
A 70-year-old man was caught with the haul and the company for which he was apparently working identified.
Say reports, the fine in this case could reach over €44,800.
A statement from the GNR’s coastal control division (UCC) said: “Agents intercepted a vehicle that was transporting oysters without the necessary ‘registration of transport’ documentation. This document serves to prove the place of capture, confirm the bivalves are on their way for purifying in order to guarantee that they are fit for consumption and free of toxins”.
Agents were described as delighted to have stopped the oysters “entering the commercial circuit”.
