Frogs sold as 'chicken thighs'

The label said "chicken thighs", but the items on sale in an Auckland shop were actually frozen frogs, the prosecution claimed in an Auckland District Court case this week.

Thevi Peung denied a charge laid by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) of having unauthorised goods.

Peung is a director of Soun Lee Ltd, a MAF-approved "transitional facility" in Te Atatu South, and of Green Bay Fruit and Vegetables in Atkinson Ave, Otahuhu. The companies also face charges.

According to MAF, a complaint was made to the Ministry of Health about frozen frogs being sold from Green Bay as "chicken thighs".

Peung allegedly told a reporter from The Aucklander, who purchased a packet of frogs, that she imported them from Bangkok thinking they were baby chickens, and decided to sell them anyway.

Kathy Lim, who worked at the green grocery shop, told a Health Ministry investigator that the frogs were supplied to Green Bay by an unknown Asian man.

However, when interviewed by MAF in October last year, Peung allegedly said Soun Lee received a consignment from Thailand containing packages of frozen frogs. They had not been ordered, but she realised they were for eating.

Peung allegedly told the investigator she should have got an MAF inspector to come out and clear the frogs. However, they were given to Kathy Lim to label as "chicken thighs" as the machine did not have a label for frogs.

Only one of the 40 packets of frogs was sold, presumably to the reporter.

Peung denied the frogs were imported in another consignment and delivered to Green Bay by an unknown Asian man.

After being tested by the ESR, the frog legs were disposed of.

Peung and her companies will be back in court next month.