Cross-border raids target cattle rustling

More than 50 animals were seized and impounded yesterday by police and agriculture officials in raids on farms on both sides of the Border.

The seizures, in counties Monaghan and Armagh, were part of a major cross-Border operation into the illegal movement of cattle across the Border and other irregularities.

The multi-agency operation got under way at 8am yesterday and involved teams from Northern Ireland's agriculture department, the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) and the Garda as well as the Department of Agriculture's investigation unit in the Republic.

Several animals were seized at one farm in the Castleblayney area of Co Monaghan.

A Garda spokesman last night said that a number of irregularities in relation to the prior movement of the livestock seized will be investigated by the relevant departments and related authorities on both sides of the Border.

“The entire operation has focused on the illicit movement of cattle across the Border,” he added.

During the past eight months more than 90 cattle have been stolen by gangs of rustlers from farms in Co Monaghan and Co Cavan.