The Food and Economic Safety Authority (ASAE) seized around 6.6 tons of meat last Friday in an operation targeting clandestine slaughter in the municipalities of Loures, Mafra and Lisbon, it was announced today.
The operation was carried out by the National Intelligence and Criminal Investigation Unit, “following investigations into criminal offenses against public health, aimed at the clandestine slaughter of animals,” ASAE said in a statement.
As part of the operation, two citizens were made defendants and subjected to a term of identity and residence.
Two house search warrants were also carried out, including a livestock farm, eight non-house search warrants, one digital search warrant and three butcher’s shops were inspected, seizing around 6.6 tons of products “essentially goat carcasses, worth around 58,000 euros”.
“After carrying out an expert examination, it was determined that the meat was from clandestine and/or abnormal slaughter, damaged and/or corrupt, and/or untraceable,” says ASAE.
The sum of 11,470 euros was also seized in cash, “suspected of being the result of the illegal activity carried out”.
The operation also included the seizure of a 12-gauge shotgun and 37 shells of the same caliber, as well as “a 22-caliber revolver with six rounds of ammunition and 38 rounds of ammunition of the same caliber”.
ASAE guarantees that “it will continue to carry out enforcement actions, within the scope of its powers, throughout the national territory, in order to safeguard food safety and the public health of consumers”.