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A criminal network selling unregulated meat across central Spain has been broken up by the Guardia Civil. The organisation, which operated clandestine farms and slaughterhouses in Madrid, Toledo and Ávila, is accused of distributing meat from illegally slaughtered animals to restaurants and private customers.

 

Five people have been arrested and 12 others are being investigated in connection with the operation. All face charges that include public health offences, animal cruelty, document fraud, membership of a criminal organisation and money laundering.

 

The Guardia Civil's environmental division UCOMA (Central Operative Unit for the Environment) led the investigation, named Operation Pox, which revealed a coordinated scheme to introduce sheep and goat meat into the food chain without any official checks, records or veterinary controls.

 

Some of the meat was supplied to nine restaurants in the Madrid region, four of which have now been temporarily shut down, while other portions were sold directly to individuals via informal and online channels.

 

At the centre of the network was a farm in the province of Toledo that was not registered with the national livestock database (REGA), making any animal movement to or from the site illegal. From there, animals were transported either to a legal slaughterhouse in Ávila, where they were mixed with regulated livestock, or to a second farm in San Fernando de Henares, Madrid. This site acted as a clandestine slaughterhouse and operated in extremely poor sanitary and welfare conditions.

 

Seven raids were carried out at homes and farms across the three provinces. More than 350 animals had to be put down due to starvation, disease or severe deformities. Officers also seized €10,000 in cash, forged paperwork, slaughter equipment and veterinary drugs.

 

Authorities have warned that this type of illegal activity poses a serious risk to public health. Meat sold without any traceability or health checks increases the chances of disease outbreaks such as sheep and goat pox. These not only affect animal welfare but can also result in major financial losses for the agricultural sector and potentially expose consumers to unsafe food.

 

Operation Pox involved cooperation between Europol, regional governments and several public health and agricultural bodies in Madrid and Castilla-La Mancha.

 

 

Images: Guardia Civil/Europol