Operation Eradicate Cattle Rustlers’ Market nets 1 199

National co-ordinator Anti-Stock Theft Unit, Assistant Commissioner Bernard Dumbura, said of the 1 199 arrests, 53 were direct stock theft cases, while the remainder comprised offences related to cattle rustling. The operation is set to end on November 6 this year.
The police Anti-Stock Theft Unit, he said, had recovered 192 cattle, 230 chickens and 437 kilogrammes of meat. The operation has also seen 71 food outlets, 121 butcheries and three abattoirs being closed down after they were found in possession of uninspected meat products.
He revealed that police officers had been deployed to monitor and inspect all those who dealt with meat and livestock products such as abattoirs, butcheries and food outlets.
“We are happy with the current results and hope to account for the bulk of the cattle rustlers by the time we conclude the operation. He added that the suspects arrested in Matabeleland South province would soon appear in court. “The suspects are still in custody and will appear in court once investigations are complete. We have also recovered another six cattle that had strayed into Botswana after being stolen from Matabeleland South province,” he added.
He said that the majority of beasts left on free range by their owners in grazing areas were mostly the ones being stolen by the rustlers.
Assist Comm Dumbura said they strongly believed that some of the cattle rustlers were working as syndicates with criminals in neighbouring countries.
In August this year, police revealed that 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 and help with easy identification of stolen beasts.
The exercise would also assist police in linking recovered beasts to their owners as each farmer has their own brand.