It is still possible to smuggle illegal meat through British customs despite it being widely believed to be the cause of last year's devastating foot-and-mouth epidemic, a BBC investigation has shown.

The probe, by the Countryfile and Farming Today programmes, has shown it is relatively easy to walk through UK points of entry unchallenged, carrying banned meat.

This is despite a government poster and intelligence campaign aimed at putting a stop to the practise.

US airports have many teams of sniffer dogs

Smuggled meat is widely believed to have been behind the foot-and-mouth epidemic that tore through the British countryside last year, costing farmers £8bn.

Farming minister Lord Whitty admitted it was not difficult to smuggle meat, but he also criticised the courts for being too soft on the importers.

He told the BBC the legal system was "undermining" the government's campaign by imposing low fines on the traffickers and he urged the courts to "take the problem more seriously".

"If nothing is done, it leaves us open to yet another (outbreak)," he added.

Stewart Hewstone of the National Pig Association agreed, saying it was vital customs and trading standards officers worked together to frustrate the smugglers.

But shadow rural affairs secretary David Lidington said Lord Whitty was simply trying to deflect criticism from the government's own failings and urged ministers to take steps to tighten up controls.

'Lucrative business'

He said: "We all want to see tough sentences for people who smuggle illegal meat into Britain. But port checks are so lax that the chances of a smuggler ever getting before a court are minimal.

"Lord Whitty and his ministerial colleagues should act now to tighten port controls instead of simply berating the magistrates."

Customs officials believe the thousands of tons being brought into Britain make the illegal meat trade the third most lucrative illicit business after drugs and arms.

The result of the BBC investigation comes only a week after it was announced mobile squads of inspectors could be deployed at UK ports and airports in an effort to combat the trade.

It is hoped a squad of inspectors would be established to carry out random spot checks on passengers' luggage.

Checks 'less stringent'

However, at the moment, there are just two sniffer dogs trained to detect illegal meat in travellers' luggage - and only at Heathrow.

America and Australia both have many more teams specifically set up for the task.

Meat imports entering the EU must be declared in advance and are subject to checks by veterinary officers and sample inspection.

But many illegal consignments are labelled as fruit or other non-meat foodstuffs, for which checks are much less stringent.

The Chartered Institute of Environmental Health is demanding at least ten mobile units comprising six inspectors are set up.