The Latvian food authority has found the virus of African swine fever (ASF) in various kinds of sausages seized from travellers arriving in Latvia from Belarus, a spokeswoman for the Food and Veterinary Service said Wednesday.

In all, six of the 20 food samples examined by the food authority tested positive for ASF, Latvia's Diena daily quoted Anna Joffe, the spokeswoman for the Food and Veterinary Service, as saying.

Since travellers with illegal food products in their luggage are considered the main risk factor fostering the spread of the deadly animal disease, the Food and Veterinary Service has been closely working with the Latvian State Revenue Service, Customs Authority and the State Border Guard to thoroughly check the luggage of individual travellers arriving to Latvia from non-EU countries, particularly Russia and Belarus.

In the first 11 months of this year, the Latvian authorities seized over 52 tons of meat and dairy products on state border, the Diena reported.

Travellers from third countries entering the European Union's member states, including Latvia, are not allowed to transport food products of animal origin like meat and meat products, milk and dairy products across the border, the Latvian food authority said, adding that the banned products found in travellers luggage during checks at the border are seized and destroyed. Enditem

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