Irish authorities are investigating a suspected fraud involving horse meat.
Planned searches have been carried out as part of an investigation into suspected fraudulent practices concerning alleged tampering with the passports and microchips of horses who were sent for slaughter.
The Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation and officials from Ireland’s Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, as well as the Food Safety Authority of Ireland are behind the investigation.
A total of seven properties have been searched across Roscommon, Leitrim, Sligo, Westmeath and Kilkenny. These included residential houses and a commercial premises.
“This is a Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation (NCBI) led operation supported by officers from, Criminal Assets Bureau, Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau and Garda National Cyber Crime Bureau,” said a statement from the NCBI issued this week (6 June).
“For operational reasons and as this is a search and evidence gathering phase of an ongoing investigation, An Garda Síochána will not be commenting further at this time.”
For all the latest news analysis, competition reports, interviews, features and much more, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, on sale every Thursday.
This week’s edition(6 June) is our pony special, which includes features on managing competition ponies, as well as our horse hero, Holiday Chase, and much more.
You will also find some tips from the top when it comes to showing hounds, and you should check out our useful guide to creating the perfect outdoor school. In this week’s H&H interview we talk to point-to-pointing stalwarts Christopher and Fran Marriott, and top show producer Katie Jerram-Hunnable gives advice on how to teach horses to gallop in the show ring. We also have full reports from all classes at the H&H Festival of Eventing, racing action from Epsom, plus international showjumping reports and much more.
Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now
Lucy is an experienced news journalist, reporter and presenter. Since joining the Horse & Hound team in 2015, Lucy has reported from major global sporting events including the Tokyo Paralympic Games and multiple European Championships, as well as Badminton, Burghley and London, to name a few. She has covered current affairs and sports news across the full spectrum of equestrian disciplines and racing, as well as human and equine welfare, industry news and court cases.
