Eight searches were carried out in the Republic in recent days as part of a Europe-wide investigation into the trafficking of horses.
Europol said some of the animals may have been diverted into the food chain without their true origin and history being known, “undermining” the traceability systems designed to protect animal welfare and food safety.
Investigators are working to establish the final destination of the animals as investigations are ongoing and seized evidence is under analysis. More than 1,000 horses were checked.
The Department of Agriculture has been approached for comment on whether any of the animals may have entered the Irish food chain.
An Garda Síochána said investigations are ongoing into a criminal network suspected of trafficking horses across Europe, with searches taking place in six counties.
The criminal network is suspected of forging horse passports and manipulating microchips to conceal the animals’ true identities and grant them new ones, obscuring their true background and eligibility for human consumption.
The force’s searches, which were supported by Europol, took place on Tuesday and Wednesday. Nearly 200 officers and representatives of different authorities took part in the operation across the Republic, Belgium, France and the Netherlands.
Across Europe, 25 searches were conducted in total, including eight in Ireland. Searches were conducted in Galway, Kilkenny, Tipperary, Kildare, Dublin and Donegal by the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation.
The investigation, led by Belgian authorities, centred on the alleged large-scale trade of horses whose identification details and histories were fraudulently altered, enabling their movement and resale throughout Europe.
Searches were assisted by officers from the Belgian Police and Europol as well as the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
Europol also provided support in information exchange, operational coordination and analytical expertise.
In a statement, the Garda said it “remains committed to disrupting serious and organised crime and safeguarding public health and animal welfare across Ireland”.