Following the discovery of an illegal meat operation, five UK men have been arrested, according to the UK Food Standards Agency (FSA).

In an operation on November 25, 2024, officers with FSA’s National Food Crime Unit (NFCU) and local police found several unrefrigerated vans containing a total of 48 sheep carcasses. The meat is presumed to be illegal, as it is not traceable, was kept in unsanitary conditions, and was subjected to a smoking process with its skin on. Meat sold in the UK is required to be fully traceable from farm to fork, and to undergo checks by FSA veterinarians and meat hygiene inspectors.

The illegal meat was seized, and the five men who were arrested were interviewed by NFCU officers and released under investigation.

Update, December 12, 2024: FSA's NFCU and the Dyfed-Powys Police visited a farm on December 4, resulting in the arrest of one man who has been released on investigation. He was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to supply unfit meat.