Mozzarella Mafia!

Interesting news regarding cheese, the most stolen/shop-lifted food item in the world! 4% of the world’s cheese ends up knicked!!

And, hey, who doesn't like a nice, buttery piece of Camembert, amirite? Tastes ten times better if its a five finger discount, too.

Anyhoo, these stories stink more than a hunk of Gorgonzola cooking in the summer sun!


Excerpt Story from HuffPo:

"Niagara Regional Police officers have been visiting pizzerias in the peninsula recently asking one important question: Where did you get your cheese?

It’s part of a larger internal investigation into cheese smuggling, allegedly by some members of their own force.

CBC News has learned from numerous police sources that charges are expected soon against a few officers who are allegedly involved in the movement of caseloads of cheese from the U.S. to sell to Canadian pizzerias and restaurants.

The alleged scam involves jamming cases of ‘brick’ cheese—used as a common pizza topping—into their vehicles to smuggle across the border. With cheese being as little as a third of the price in the U.S., drivers are making $1,000 to $2,000 a trip, according to numerous sources.

Canada Border Services Agency officials say anyone — officer or civilian — caught smuggling large shipments of cheese into Canada would be in violation of the Customs Act for failing to declare any pay duties on the controlled goods.

As well, CBSA says it would be a violation for failing to have proper permits and licences from both the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade.

The accused officers either face police act charges (internal discipline) for either discreditable conduct or neglect of duty or criminal code charges of breech of trust if any were found to have intentionally plotted to avoid customs and duties."

full story: http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2012/09/24/niagara-police-cheese-smuggling-steroids-case_n_1908668.html

$1000-2000 per trip?? That's a lotta cheese!!

Aaaaand then, a few days later, this announcement via the CBC in Windsor, a border town:

"A ruling made this week by the Canadian Dairy Commission could soon allow Canadian restaurants to buy deeply discounted mozzarella cheese.

The commission changed the rules used to classify mozzarella cheese, putting the milk product in its own class and essentially removing it from supply-management pricing. Before the ruling, the price for mozzarella cheese in Canada was artificially high when compared to the world market.

The new class, to take effect June 1, is expected to result in lower costs for Canadian-made mozzarella for restaurants that prepare and cook pizzas on site."

full story: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windsor/story/2013/05/02/wdr-mozzarella-cheese-cost-pizza.html

Is this a coincidence??  A bunch of cops get busted smuggling mozzarella (and 'roids) and then almost immediately the CDC (haha, Center for Derby Control!!!) laxs it's rules regarding importing?

The officers in question have not been suspended or arrested, just re-assigned and notified they are being investigated. Is this how drug & cheese smugglers are normally treated? "We'll re-locate you to another job and let you know we're watching you.." I doubt that very much. Seems redundant, seems shady as hell, but you be the judge here, cheese lovers!

Fascinating site this http://www.cheese.com/ they have all the cheese info you could ever need! Country, style, pairings, etc, kick ass! No steroid information though, gotta look elsewhere for that, guys..