The “police” uncovered approximately six metric tons of meat that had been smuggled from the free areas into the occupied territories, in a coordinated operation at a warehouse belonging to a 41-year-old man in Diori and at three different premises in Kyrenia, according to Turkish Cypriot media.
As reported, the haul consisted of dozens of sheep carcasses. The “police” operation was expanded to Mia Milia as well.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
The Turkish Cypriot Association of Producers and Livestock Farmers stated in a press release that it has been warning for years about meat smuggling and noted: “Six metric tons were seized today. But how many metric tons have entered over the past three years?”
They add that they have been asking the “Ministry of Agriculture” to take action, “but no one has listened to us.” Meat smuggling has economic consequences as well as public health implications, it is noted.
“This isn’t just about smuggling. It means illegal economic activity. The state loses tax revenue. Livestock farmers lose their jobs, consumers suffer, and the Treasury’s coffers run dry. Furthermore, if the meat in question is of questionable origin and has not been properly inspected, the food safety of our people is directly endangered,” he noted.
The association is calling for a thorough investigation into all aspects of the incident, raising the following questions: “Is this just one truck? Or is this merely the visible part of a larger, profitable chain that has been operating for years? Who brought this meat? Who distributed it? Who profited from it?”
Source: CNA
*File photo
