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Eradicate Cattle Rustlers Market.
The police Anti-Stock Theft Unit recovered 82kg of un-inspected meat and closed 54 butcheries and 19 shops.
National co-ordinator Anti-Stock Theft Unit, Assistant Commissioner Bernard Dumbura said the operation was set to end on November 6.
“We have deployed our officers to monitor and inspect all those who deal with meat and livestock products such as abattoirs, butcheries and food outlets,” he said.
Asst Comm Dumbura said they were happy with the results and hoped to account for cattle rustlers by the end of the operation.
In Matabeleland South province, the police recovered 57 beasts, with 51 of them said to have been stolen by the four suspects they arrested.
Asst Comm Dumbura said the suspects were in custody and would appear in court once investigations were complete. He said they recovered another six cattle that had strayed into Botswana after being stolen in Matabeleland South.
“Most beasts are abandoned by their owners in grazing areas and these are mostly the ones being stolen by cattle rustlers,” Asst Comm Dumbura said.
He said they believed that some of the cattle rustlers were working as syndicates with criminals in neighbouring countries.
In August this year, police said cases of stock theft had decreased by 13 percent between January and June from 6 332 to 5 508, compared to the same period last year.
The number of cattle stolen in 2009 decreased from 17 229 to 14 882 last year. Police Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri early this year launched the Cattle Branding/Muchiso Pamombe/ Uphawu
Enkomeni Campaign to deal with stock theft.
Online Reporter