Thousands of Horses Caught Up in Europe-Wide Trafficking Scheme

Authorities in Ireland, Belgium, France and the Netherlands have launched a Europe-wide investigation into a network suspected of trafficking horses using forged passports and manipulated microchips. Twenty-five searches were conducted, including eight in Ireland, with nearly 200 officers involved. More than 1,000 horses were checked for their identities, origins and welfare. Europol warned that some animals may have entered the food chain without accurate histories, undermining traceability systems designed to protect public health and animal welfare across Europe and European food consumers