FRANCE/FILE: French Police arrest 21 people in raids on the horsemeat industry across southern France on suspicion that horses used to develop medicines were sold fraudulently for food

Record ID: 861274

  • Title: FRANCE/FILE: French Police arrest 21 people in raids on the horsemeat industry across southern France on suspicion that horses used to develop medicines were sold fraudulently for food
  • Date: 16th December 2013
  • Summary: PARIS, FRANCE (FILE) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF BUTCHER SHOP WHICH SELLS HORSEMEAT HORSE HEAD ON SHOP WALL CLIENTS IN BUTCHER SHOP VARIOUS OF BUTCHER MINCING HORSEMEAT HORSEMEAT HANGING IN COOLER VARIOUS OF HORSEMEAT BEING PREPARED
  • Embargoed: 31st December 2013 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: France
  • City:
  • Country: France
  • Topics: Crime / Law Enforcement
  • Reuters ID: LVA6LQIQCZF8BK3VO9G0RPFJS5SK
  • Aspect Ratio:
  • Story Text: Police arrested 21 people in raids on the horsemeat industry across southern France on Monday (December 16) on suspicion that horses used to develop medicines were sold fraudulently for food, police and industry officials said.
    A spokesman for pharmaceutical company Sanofi said it used the horses to incubate antibodies to manufacture serums for everything from rabies to snake bites, and while the meat was in good health, it was not certified as fit for human consumption.
    Consumer Affairs Minister Benoit Hamon said the operation stemmed from stepped-up monitoring of the industry after a French meat processing firm was at the centre of a Europe-wide scandal earlier this year over mislabelled frozen meals containing horsemeat instead of beef.

    "This affair isn't the same as what we saw last year, but, as part of the necessary vigilance around the horsemeat market, it seems that horses which should have ended up being slaughtered were in fact potentially ending up at a butcher's, horses which are not for human consumption, and the police are working on it and investigating," Hamon said on RTL radio.
    Media reports said the horses were sold to traders suspected of falsifying veterinary documents so they could be used in the food chain. Those detained included meat producers, traders and veterinarians.
    A statement from the French Gendarmerie said about 100 officers along with inspectors from the national veterinary brigade took part in dawn raids in 11 districts.
    Horsemeat has slowly fallen out of favour with most consumers in France although it can still be bought at specialist butchers.
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