Eight held in France over horse-meat scandal

Eight senior staff from a French meat-processing theatre implicated inwards the horse-meat adulteration scandal accept been detained yesteryear authorities.

The viii old staff of Spanghero were arrested on Tuesday morning, French media reported.

They are beingness held for questioning, according to police.

The arrests follow an enquiry launched inwards French Republic inwards February, next the Europe-wide scandal inwards which Equus caballus center was constitute inwards a hit of processed beef products sold across Europe.

The incident resulted inwards the recollect of tens of millions of ready-to-eat beef meals from supermarket freezers across Europe.

Investigations were launched inwards well-nigh European nations equally the reach of the contamination, commencement unearthed inwards Ireland, became apparent.

The scandal highlighted the complexities of the nutrient chain together with its vulnerability to rogue traders.

Spanghero, based inwards the southern town of Castelnaudary, struck fiscal troubles inwards the wake of the scandal, together with closed inwards June. Its flora resumed performance 2 months after nether novel management together with alongside novel fiscal backing.

French authorities alleged inwards Feb that Spanghero, a center wholesaler, re-labeled together with sold Equus caballus center from Romanaian suppliers. Spanghero has denied the allegation.

Authorities alleged 550 tonnes of the incorrectly labelled center was sent to French theatre Comigel, which used it to create frozen nutrient at its Tavola manufacturing flora inwards Luxembourg. Those products were ultimately set into retail stores inwards several European countries.

It is alleged that Equus caballus center from Spanghero made its manner into a serial of products manufactured on behalf of Comigel together with labelled equally beef. They were sold yesteryear Comigel to 28 unlike companies inwards thirteen European nations.

Spanghero primary executive Barthélémy Aguerre told Europe1 radio final Feb that the fellowship was a victim, too, together with denied wrongdoing.

“When the center arrived to us it already had the label of beef on it. We [later] analysed the contents ourselves together with constitute that in that place was a mixture of horsemeat together with beef. This proves that it was non Spanghero who were responsible for the scam. The fraud took house elsewhere.”

He defendant the French Government at the fourth dimension of acting prematurely together with putting his theatre together with its 360 workers at risk.

“I volition fight. The regime acted likewise chop-chop together with immediately the draw of piece of occupation organisation is inwards large trouble. I don’t know if nosotros tin sack recover,” he said. “I am going to assay out my innocence, the innocence of the theatre together with of all the workers.”

 

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