EUROPEAN police have arrested 26 people and seized the identity papers of more than 800 horses in a crackdown on illegal horse meat trading, crime-fighting agency Eurojust has confirmed.
BETWEEN 2010 and 2013, 4700 horses unfit for human consumption were slaughtered and introduced into the food chain, French authorities estimate.
The main suspect is a Belgian national who has been under investigation since 2012, Eurojust said. Authorities in France, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Britain were also involved. Police searched dozens of properties, seizing 37,000 euros in cash as well as medication, microchips and computer equipment, the agency said. More than 200 horses will be examined by vets following the raids on Saturday. The issue is unrelated to a scandal in 2013, when food inspectors found undeclared horse meat in supermarket goods, Eurojust said.
No comments:
Post a Comment