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The Spanish police have uncovered a network of illegal slaughterhouses. Shocking conditions were found there, and the meat ended up in restaurants.
The Guardia Civil, the Spanish police, has dismantled a network of illegal slaughterhouses. Five individuals were arrested during the operation, which targeted livestock farms, industrial warehouses, and illegal facilities in Ãvila, Toledo, and Madrid. They supplied untraceable meat to restaurants. Animals were mistreated, slaughtered, and sold under unhygienic conditions in the slaughterhouses, as explained by the police during a press conference. The illegal facilities were uncovered by the Seprona unit (Nature Conservation Service) of the Guardia Civil in the "Operation Pox."
Animal cruelty, money laundering: animals had to be euthanized
Officials arrested five individuals and are investigating another 12 individuals for various crimes against public health, animal cruelty, document forgery, membership in a criminal organization, and money laundering. Due to the poor condition of the animals in the different slaughterhouses, about 350 animals had to be euthanized, they further explained. The investigation started when it was discovered that meat from illegal slaughterhouses had been delivered to 10 Asian restaurants in the area.
Police successful: Illegal slaughterhouses discovered in Spain
The conditions in the slaughterhouses were described as horrific by the officials. Dead and decaying or dying animals in obvious pain were found lying next to each other on the ground. One goat had a massive tumor on its abdomen, they further explained. Slaughtering and butchering were carried out in dirty and hot metal huts. José Carlos MartÃnez, Commander of the Central Operational Unit Seprona, stated during the press conference: "There were animals close to death living alongside stacked dead animals. Those that were still alive had rashes on their bodies that could indicate symptoms such as sheep or goat pox, as well as signs of malnutrition."
Unregistered livestock operation: Deceived with slaughter animals
MartÃnez emphasized that "the network came to light thanks to the collaboration between Seprona and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food." According to the investigators, the main suspect operates an unlicensed livestock operation without official registration. Along with another suspect, he transports animals from legal and illegal facilities to the various dirty slaughterhouses. All live animals were confiscated, with the intention of transferring them to animal shelters.