An Auckland man who operated an unregistered home kill business continued to kill and sell pigs and chickens after being served with an order to stop.
Peni Naivaluvou, 64, was fined $8000 at the Papakura District Court today after being sentenced on three charges under the Animal Products Act.
Naivaluvou’s conviction resulted from a New Zealand Food Safety investigation which took place between 2022 and 2023.
Naivaluvou killed and sold pigs and chickens without registering his business as required by law. It meant he was operating unlawfully and not subject to food hygiene standards and inspection checks that meat processors must undertake.
During the probe into Naivaluvou’s business, an undercover food safety investigator bought a pig from him.
Subsequently, he was served a “notice of direction” prohibiting him from killing or selling animals.
Naivaluvou ignored the warning and killed more pigs and at least one chicken — and continued to sell to undercover food safety investigators.
“Mr Naivaluvou told New Zealand Food Safety investigators he understood the requirements of the Notice of Direction but continued to operate as an illegal home kill business,” New Zealand Food Safety deputy director general Vincent Arbuckle said.
He was fined $4000 for the illegal slaughter of animals, $2000 for selling the meat, and $2000 for not complying with the notice of direction to stop his operation.
“Those who try to avoid registration and operate outside New Zealand’s stringent food safety rules are taking unacceptable risks with consumer safety and putting our international reputation at risk,” Arbuckle said.
“The majority of operators in New Zealand follow the rules because they want to make sure they are keeping their customers safe.
“When we find evidence of people deliberately flouting the law, we take action and there are consequences — as we’ve seen from the court’s response.”
