Meat from banned hoses may have entered food chain after trade fraud

As a result of horse trade fraud, meat from thousand of horses entered into the food chain when it should not have been sold for human consumption, according to a major international investigation involving more than a thousand horses. Seven raids were also carried out in the Netherlands, Flemish public broadcaster VRT reported.

The Belgian prosecutors are leading the investigation, where three have been arrested. The suspects had reportedly circumvented the regulations by forging horse passports and tampering with microchips, which, subsequently, increased their profits.

Under the European rules, meat of medicated animals cannot be processed for human consumption, as drug residues in meat can pose health risks. The suspects had allegedly sold sport horses that had received various medications as slaughter horses because that meant higher profits. VRT said that a low-value sport horse, for example, can be sold for slaughter for around 1,500 euros.

According to the Belgian police, older horses were sold with fake passports to appear younger, which, once again, meant higher profits.

Europol stated that the suspects undermined European rules designed to protect animal welfare, as well as human food safety.

The seven Dutch raids took place in Limburg, Zuid-Holland, Noord-Brabant, Utrecht, and Zeeland. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority is also involved in the investigation.

All together, 200 officers from the Netherlands, Belgium, France, and Ireland carried out 24 raids. Belgian police said a “considerable number of horses” were seized during the searches. More than 100,000 euros in cash was also found.