“We are committed to disrupting serious and organised crime and safeguarding public health and animal welfare across Ireland”
Gardai have taken part in a number of searches in Ireland as part of a major European operation targeting a horse trafficking network.
Gardai supported by Europol “played a central role” in the international enforcement operation that took place between Tuesday and Wednesday of this week.
The criminal network is suspected of trafficking horses across Europe using falsified documents and manipulated microchips to conceal the animals’ true identities.
In the course of the operation, searches were carried out in Galway, Kilkenny, Tipperary, Kildare, Dublin and Donegal by the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation (GNBCI).
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) provided assistance with the searches along with officers from the Belgian Police and Europol.
“The investigation, led by Belgian authorities, centres on the alleged large-scale trade of horses whose identification details and histories were fraudulently altered, enabling their movement and resale throughout Europe,” a Garda spokesperson said.
“The criminal network is suspected of forging horse passports and manipulating microchips to grant the animals new identities, obscuring their true background and eligibility for human consumption.”
A total of 25 searches were conducted across Europe, including eight in Ireland, during the coordinated action.
“Evidence seized is currently under analysis and investigations are ongoing,” gardai added.
“An Garda Síochána worked closely with police forces and administrative authorities in Belgium, France and the Netherlands, with Europol providing vital support in information exchange, operational coordination and analytical expertise.”
The Garda statement adds that they remain committed “to disrupting serious and organised crime and safeguarding public health and animal welfare across Ireland”.