Europol investigates large-scale European horse meat fraud

Europol and authorities from Belgium, France, Ireland, and the Netherlands conducted a large-scale operation on September 8 and 9 to dismantle a criminal network involved in illegal horse trading. Investigators suspect that thousands of horses were traded across Europe using falsified passports and manipulated microchips to conceal their true identities.

By obscuring an animal's origin, medical history, and eligibility for human consumption, the network aimed to illegally introduce horses into the food supply chain. There are concerns that animals treated with medications unsuitable for human consumption may have ended up in processed meat products such as meatballs, croquettes, and other snacks.

The operation involved nearly 200 personnel who inspected more than 1,000 animals and carried out 24 searches. The fraud, estimated to involve millions of euros, allowed criminals to turn previously low-value animals into meat worth between 1,000 and 1,500 euros.