April 4, 2013

Polish warehouse contains tonnes of suspicious meat

The owner of a Polish slaughterhouse near Biala Rawska was charged last week with fraud and violating laws on animal health due to the accusation of handling sick cattle and has revealed hidden storerooms in central Poland containing tonnes of "suspicious meat".

"Investigators studying the case of the slaughterhouse near Biala Rawsk have found hidden storerooms, containing about 30 tonnes of meat of uncertain origin," confirmed Krzysztof Kopania, spokesman for the District Prosecutor's Office in Lodz.

More details have also emerged concerning the incidents that led to the arrest of abattoir-owner Piotr M. Police are understood to have intercepted a transport of 24 cattle bound for the slaughterhouse.

Of the 24 animals, nine were already dead, and the others appeared severely ill and had to be put down immediately. Autopsies have confirmed that the animals were sick, according to the Prosecutor's Office in Lodz.

It is understood that the meat was sold to at least 16 companies, encompassing firms in Masovia, Silesia, Lower Silesia, Wielkopolska as well as the Lodz region. It is not clear at present whether the meat may have been harmful to humans. However, Piotr M., who is currently on bail, faces up to eight years in prison if found guilty.

It has been a grim start to the year for the Polish meat industry, with Poland embroiled in the international horse DNA scandal. In late February, Polish veterinary authorities confirmed the presence of horse DNA in a number of 'beef product' samples.