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Peter Matambanadzo Senior Reporter
Police last month closed 199 butcheries and 153 food outlets countrywide for operating without licences and arrested 3 081 for stock theft and related cases under “Operation Nyama Yabvepi” which ended last week.The operation, launched early September and ending on 0ctober 1, was meant to curb cattle rustling and to weed out unlicensed butcheries and food outlets.
Under the operation, police have recovered a total of 403 cattle, 158 donkeys and 36 goats and raised over US$37 000 in revenue from fines.
Police also recovered 661 kilogrammes of meat. National Anti-Stock Theft Unit co-ordinator Senior Assistant Commissioner Bernard Dumbura yesterday said the month-long operation ended, but the police would continue with their crackdown on errant butcheries and food outlets.
“Operation Nyama Yabvepi has ended, and we will still continue to deal with unlicensed butcheries and food outlets until there is sanity in the livestock industry,” he said.
He said police had since launched another operation code named “Chengetedzai Zvipfuyo Zviripamutemo” a campaign aimed at educating villagers and farmers on livestock management.
This is the 12th operation the Anti-Stock Theft Unit has conducted in the past two years.
Online Reporter