News / National
Police blitz shuts butcheries, food outlets
19 Sep 2013 at 03:16hrs | Views
Police have closed 58 butcheries and 66 food outlets countrywide since Monday for operating without licences and arrested 485 people for stock theft-related cases under an operation code-named, "Nyama yabvepi".
They also recovered 101 cattle and 116 donkeys.
The operation was launched Monday and is meant to curb cattle rustling.
The 485 people were arrested for breaching provisions of the law such as licensing provisions, employees operating without medical certificates, selling of uninspected meat and other related offences.
National Anti-Stock Theft Unit co-ordinator Senior Assistant Commissioner Bernard Dumbura yesterday said the operation was being conducted as a result of indiscipline in the livestock industry.
"The Anti Stock Theft Unit is conducting an operation and this is the 12th operation we have conducted in the past two years.
"The aim of the operation is to investigate sources of meat and illegal meat vending," Snr Asst Comm Dumbura said.
He noted that there was an increase in street vending, particularly in high-density suburbs where unscrupulous butchery operators go to commercial farms and rural areas where they would employ syndicates to steal cattle and transport them to urban areas under over of darkness.
"During the operation, our officers will be on the ground inspecting butcheries and abattoirs. They will be working with the Veterinary Services Department," he said.
Snr Asst Comm Dumbura said the police have in the past two days made significant arrests in Masvingo and Matabeleland South.
"In Masvingo, 22 cattle were recovered in Chiredzi district under Chikombedzi area. The cattle were recovered from one suspect who was taking them to Mozambique," he said.
In Matabeleland South, he said two suspects were arrested after stealing 27 cattle that were in a grazing area.
Snr Asst Comm Dumbura said police also recovered 24 cattle and 32 donkeys in Manicaland which had been stolen while grazing.
Snr Asst Comm Dumbura advised the public to shun buying meat from illegal meat markets such as the vendors in the streets and home butcheries and urged public to report any illegal activities.
He said people were only allowed to carry also a maximum of 10kg without a permit, but anything over this would require a valid police clearance certificate, carcass movement permit from the ministry of Agriculture and a movement permit from the Veterinary Services Department.
Last year, police closed 460 butcheries, eight abattoirs and 237 food outlets for selling stolen and meat that had not been inspected.
Police also arrested close to 4 000 suspected rustlers across Zimbabwe.
The suspects had reportedly stolen 148 cattle and smuggled them to Mozambique.
They also recovered 101 cattle and 116 donkeys.
The operation was launched Monday and is meant to curb cattle rustling.
The 485 people were arrested for breaching provisions of the law such as licensing provisions, employees operating without medical certificates, selling of uninspected meat and other related offences.
National Anti-Stock Theft Unit co-ordinator Senior Assistant Commissioner Bernard Dumbura yesterday said the operation was being conducted as a result of indiscipline in the livestock industry.
"The Anti Stock Theft Unit is conducting an operation and this is the 12th operation we have conducted in the past two years.
"The aim of the operation is to investigate sources of meat and illegal meat vending," Snr Asst Comm Dumbura said.
He noted that there was an increase in street vending, particularly in high-density suburbs where unscrupulous butchery operators go to commercial farms and rural areas where they would employ syndicates to steal cattle and transport them to urban areas under over of darkness.
"During the operation, our officers will be on the ground inspecting butcheries and abattoirs. They will be working with the Veterinary Services Department," he said.
"In Masvingo, 22 cattle were recovered in Chiredzi district under Chikombedzi area. The cattle were recovered from one suspect who was taking them to Mozambique," he said.
In Matabeleland South, he said two suspects were arrested after stealing 27 cattle that were in a grazing area.
Snr Asst Comm Dumbura said police also recovered 24 cattle and 32 donkeys in Manicaland which had been stolen while grazing.
Snr Asst Comm Dumbura advised the public to shun buying meat from illegal meat markets such as the vendors in the streets and home butcheries and urged public to report any illegal activities.
He said people were only allowed to carry also a maximum of 10kg without a permit, but anything over this would require a valid police clearance certificate, carcass movement permit from the ministry of Agriculture and a movement permit from the Veterinary Services Department.
Last year, police closed 460 butcheries, eight abattoirs and 237 food outlets for selling stolen and meat that had not been inspected.
Police also arrested close to 4 000 suspected rustlers across Zimbabwe.
The suspects had reportedly stolen 148 cattle and smuggled them to Mozambique.
Source - herald
