Scam Which Saw Horse Meat Served Up As Beef Burgers In Britain Is Busted As 65 Are Arrested In Europe-Wide Operation

A scam which saw horse meat served up as beef burgers in Britain has been busted after 65 people were arrested in a Europe-wide operation. Police in Spain are pictured during a recent raid carried out in conjunction with Europol

●Police in Spain busted gang with help of Europol in eight countries including UK ●Network made 20m euros trading unfit horse meat across Europe, police claim●Alleged leader linked with scam which caused burger scare in Ireland in 2013●The affected burgers were also found on sale in Britain, it has been reported

A scam which saw horse meat served up as beef burgers in Britain has been busted after 65 people were arrested in a Europe-wide operation.

Daily Mail UK report continues:

Police say the gang netted more than 20 million euros trading unfit horse meat across the continent.

Old, unfit or just unwanted horses were deliberately targeted in Portugal and the north of Spain and put down in two concrete slaughterhouses, police say.

The network was busted by the Spanish Civil Guard in conjunction with Europol in eight countries, including the UK, France, Portugal, Belgium, Italy, Romania, Switzerland and the Netherlands. 

'The meat was distributed in different ways but mainly sent to Belgium, the largest exporter of horse meat throughout the European Union,' said a police spokesman.

Old, unfit or just unwanted horses were deliberately targeted in Portugal and the north of Spain and put down in two concrete slaughterhouses, police say. Police took footage of one of their raids (above)

The 65 suspects were arrested during a series of raids in Spain and included the alleged ringleader, a Dutch entrepreneur who is being linked directly with a horse meat scam which caused a major beefburger scare in Ireland in 2013. 

The scam hit fast-food restaurants and frozen food shops who had no idea the products contained horse meat. The affected burgers were also found on sale in the UK.

Forensic experts discovered traces of 'bute,' a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, but not enough to cause health problems.

Police say the group altered the identity of the horses by replacing their microchips or falsifying their passports

'Nevertheless, this discovery generated social alarm in the affected countries and revealed similar happenings in the majority of European states,' said the spokesman.

Investigations in 2013 revealed that the Dutchman was behind the scam. He was a well-known figure in the horse meat world but had disappeared.

Samples were taken (pictured) during some of the raids, which were carried out in conjunction with Europol 

Last summer, police noted 'unusual behaviour' in the horse meat market and arrested the original ringleader in Belgium although he was living a 'discreet' life in Alicante.

He had put deputies in charge in the various countries, with the Spanish part of the organization only being part of the Europe-wide operation.

In total, 300 officers carried out 29 raids and 100 inspections, arresting 20 of the 65 suspects in the very first day. They face charges of animal abuse, documentary falsification, prevarication, crimes against public health, money laundering and belonging to a criminal organisation

Various bank accounts and real estate have been blocked and five new high-end vehicles seized.

The police investigation was coordinated by the Federal Police, the Federal Food Agency in Belgium and Guardia Civil. Different police actions were simultaneously carried out in France, Portugal, Italy, Romania, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, with the backing of Europol.