Food smuggling Tons of unrefrigerated French fries and chicken discovered in Pratteln BL
A customs patrol discovered tons of unrefrigerated French fries and chicken nuggets twice within two days in March. The contraband came to light at the Pratteln BL highway service station.
23.03.2026, 10:16
SDA
On March 9, employees of the Federal Office for Customs and Border Security (FOCBS) inspected a delivery van with a Swiss license plate. They found 1.5 tons of frozen French fries, 75 kilograms of chicken products such as chicken nuggets, 100 kilograms of mayonnaise and 79 kilograms of ketchup in the unrefrigerated load compartment, as the FOCBS reported on Monday.
The driver, a 35-year-old Iraqi, had previously entered the country from Germany. He did not pay the import duties due. He also disregarded the food law requirements, as his vehicle was not a refrigerated van. The van was also overloaded, according to the report.
Customs criminal proceedings initiated
A day later, a BAZG patrol stopped another van with a Swiss license plate at the same location. This time a 29-year-old Iraqi was at the wheel. They found two tons of French fries and 110 kilograms of chicken products in the hold.
As on the previous day, no duty had been paid on this import from Germany, the food had not been cooled and the speed limit had also been exceeded.
In both cases, the FOCA initiated criminal customs proceedings, confiscated the foodstuffs and reported the drivers for overloading the vehicles, according to the press release.
