Police seek to establish exact charges for beef smuggling case

Police on Thursday are working in collaboration with the state veterinary services to establish the precise nature and extent of the offences relating to a case of meat smuggling for which two men have been arrested.

Details of the case are emerging, Director of the state veterinary services Christodoulos Pipis told state broadcaster CyBC but the investigation is still incomplete and exact charges are being determined.

“What is known that the meat packages were not properly labelled and certified which is already an offence, and they were not destined for a legally specified location,” Pipis said, noting that indications are that the animal(s) was not slaughtered according to official public health and safety regulations–a matter the authorities are still looking into.

Nicosia police on patrol on Tuesday afternoon arrested a man who seems to have been smuggling the large quantity of beef in his truck.

The 41-year-old Greek Cypriot’s vehicle was stopped for inspection by officers who determined it was suspicious, as the man was driving with his lights off.

In the search that followed, about 500 kilos of packaged beef, was found inside the truck.

A second police patrol spotted and stopped another vehicle in the same area, also being driven with its lights off, by a 31-year-old Turkish Cypriot man.

In the search that followed the sum of €20,000 was found in his possession which he admitted was intended for the purchase of the meat from the 41-year-old.

Court warrants were issued against both men and they were arrested to facilitate ongoing investigations by Pera Chorio police.

The beef has been seized and is destined to be destroyed.