In a decisive move, authorities in Manzanillo, located in Granma province, apprehended three individuals allegedly involved in the theft and unauthorized slaughter of livestock. The suspects were about to kill a horse they had already detained when they were intercepted. Local residents near the train terminal played a crucial role by alerting the authorities, who swiftly intervened to prevent the illegal act.
According to a report from the pro-government Facebook page, "Entérate con Aytana Alama," the accused had already slaughtered an animal earlier that morning and were preparing to do the same with a horse owned by a local farmer. The official spokesperson took the opportunity to commend the Ministry of the Interior (Minint) and other enforcement agencies for their prompt action, which led to the horse's recovery before it could be slaughtered.
At the scene, authorities confiscated tools used for carrying out these illegal activities, which will serve as evidence against the suspects. In a previous report by the same government-aligned source, it was revealed that police had caught two individuals red-handed while transporting over 300 pounds of beef in a cart, stolen after an illicit slaughter in San Francisco, another area in Manzanillo.
The food shortage crisis in Cuba has led to a surge in such crimes, fueling a black market eager to seize any opportunity to obtain meat, regardless of its origin. The rising tide of illegal animal slaughter across Cuba highlights a chain of criminal activities spreading through various provinces, showcasing the desperation amid food scarcity.
In a separate incident in Gibara, authorities arrested a man who had slaughtered a horse and was in the process of selling its meat, following a tip-off from local residents. Just days earlier, another Cuban in Holguín was caught trying to dispose of a horse carcass after transporting it hidden among vegetation to a wooded area.
These occurrences join a series of equally violent incidents, such as an attempted robbery where a man tried to steal a horse by attacking its owner in public. However, his efforts were thwarted, and he was arrested. Additionally, in Holguín, a suspect was detained for kidnapping cows from farmers, a criminal trend increasingly common in rural areas.
One of the most significant operations was the dismantling of a ring of illegal butchers transporting over 400 pounds of meat in a vehicle in the eastern part of the country.
The Rise of Illegal Animal Slaughter in Cuba
What led to the increase in illegal animal slaughter in Cuba?
The severe food shortage crisis in Cuba has driven many to seek meat through unlawful means, resulting in a rise in illegal animal slaughter activities.
How are authorities responding to illegal slaughter activities?
Authorities are actively intervening and have increased efforts to apprehend those involved in illegal slaughter, as seen in recent operations dismantling criminal rings and recovering stolen livestock.