Russian authorities burn 1.5 tonnes of imported food for BMW racing team

Russia's food safety watchdog has burned 1.5 tonnes of food imported for a BMW car racing team taking part in an event in Moscow, TASS news agency reported on Thursday.

The destruction was part of Moscow's programme of burning and bulldozing Western food, banned from Russia in retaliation for sanctions over the conflict in Ukraine. "The department decided to impound goods at the checkpoint due to gross violation of sanitary rules," TASS quoted food watchdog Rosselkhoznadzor as saying.

The food was destroyed by officials in the Pskov region, about 700 km (435 miles) north-west of Moscow. It was being delivered for the BMW team in a German-based series of circuit races called DTM, whose Moscow stage starts on Friday.

On Wednesday, Russian authorities had already destroyed nearly 800 kg of food found in a car that was transporting equipment for the race. The food-destroying programme started in early August, outraging many people in a country where poverty is increasing.