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VIDEO: Chinese restaurant in Spain exposed for serving pigeon instead of duck
The hugely popular Madrid eatery was filled with cockroaches and rat traps stuffed with rotting meat
Health inspectors in the Spanish capital had a stomach-turning experience this week when they discovered filth and infestations beyond belief in a hugely popular Chinese restaurant in Madrid that’s known for being packed to the rafters at the weekends.
But perhaps the most shocking revelation that came from the inspection of the Jun Gu restaurant in the Usera district is that customers were being served pigeons when they ordered Peking duck. Unsurprisingly, the establishment has been shut down and the owner arrested for a crime against public health.
La Policía Municipal de Madrid clausura un restaurante chino llamado “Jin Gu” en el barrio multicultural de Usera en el que entre otras cosas se vendía carne de paloma como si fuera pato laqueado.
— Sr.Liberal (@SrLiberal) April 8, 2025
El dueño del establecimiento, ubicado en el distrito de Usera, ha sido imputado… pic.twitter.com/iWDyDiGsVr
According to Madrid Municipal Police, officers discovered a hidden storage area in the disabled bathroom, accessible through a sliding shelf unit. The concealed room contained eight dirty industrial freezers that didn’t have any temperature controls – they were filled with tonnes of unlabelled and unidentifiable meat and fish.
Alongside the two plucked domestic pigeons, which are not suitable for human consumption, officers discovered frozen black hens without any health identification. The kitchen was also found to be in a state of disarray, with strips of meat hanging from clotheslines and dripping grease onto cardboard boxes on the floor, while rat traps baited with rotting meat were scattered about.Further investigation revealed a stash of 184 duck-shaped gummy bears, 183 containers of Chinese additives and colourings and bags of plants possibly intended for infusions. Additionally, inspectors found bivalves with Asian silt stored without any sanitary controls, as well as Chinese sea date bivalves and sea cucumbers, a protected species whose sale and consumption is prohibited.
The workers were found to be handling food without gloves or hats and were wearing watches and rings, which is a clear violation of basic food hygiene regulations.
The kitchen was also infested with German cockroaches, which were swarming around the area due to the ineffective pest repellent. Another disturbing scene was discovered in the garbage room, where more than 100 litres of grease had accumulated in an uncovered container, surrounded by rusty pans, greasy floors and dirty stovetops.The sheer scale of the violations was staggering and far exceeded the minimum standards required for any restaurant establishment. As a result, the food was seized and the restaurant was immediately closed by order of the Usera Municipal Health Department.
The restaurant owner has been charged with crimes against public health and flora and fauna, including endangering the safety of consumers and possessing protected animal species.
Images: Policia Municipal de Madrid
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