Hackney: A huge consignment of contaminated meat not fit for animals has been stopped on its way to butchers in Waltham Forest after health inspectors busted a gang in charge of the illegal operation.

Police and health inspectors found 100 sheep carcasses and 12 sheep heads in a van parked near Ridley Road market in Hackney last week after acting on a tip-off.

They arrested members of a gang who were believed to have been selling the meat to shops all over the capital.

Health inspectors say this particular consignment could have been heading for shops in Waltham Forest, Lambeth, Wandsworth and Southwark.

Up to 1,500 sheep and goats have been slaughtered in Wales each week using illegal methods. It is believed the animals were not given any health checks by vets or official meat inspectors and were disease-ridden.

The meat carcasses were being transported to London, where the meat was subsequently sold to wholesalers and to unsuspecting members of the public.

Dr Yunes Teinaz, the senior environmental health officer of Haringey Council who was leading the investigation into the gang, said: "This meat is dangerous in itself, but it could also have infected other meat in the shops where it was sold.

"There is a big risk of cross-contamination. We must keep this meat out of the food chain.

"This could cause terrible food poisoning. You would not give this meat to a dog."

The raid came after two weeks of surveillance at Ridley Road market. The carcasses were of animals between two and five years old. The skin had not been removed, and they had been burned to produce the West African delicacy 'smokies'.

Inspectors believe the discovery may only be the first in a sting of similar incidents and hinted that there were other gangs operating around Britain.

They said there were many more gangs who were making money out of infected lamb and mutton in Scotland and in some parts of the Midlands.

Dr Teinaz said: "We have had a very good result, but there is still a lot to do."

In June environmental inspectors arrested two men in South Wales after they discovered 76 sheep carcasses at an alleged illegal slaughterhouse.

Seven men face prosecution over the new racket.

July 8, 2002 09:30