The Guardia Civil, within the framework of the control of agricultural and livestock farms, has located a clandestine sheep-goat farm and has issued a report against the person responsible, who may face sanctions of up to 1,200,000 euro.
At the end of last year, the agents of the Nature Protection Service (Seprona) of Guardamar were informed about the discovery of several sheep corpses in the Azarbe that runs through the town of San Fulgencio towards the mouth of the Rio Segura.
The researchers verified the information, observing that the animals lacked an ear tag (identifying plastic element attached to the animal’s ear), beginning the investigation to clarify the origin of these animals, suspecting the possible existence of a clandestine livestock farm.
After carrying out various inspections on farms in the area, the agents located, hidden in some abandoned facilities dedicated to pigs, an illegal farm of sheep and goats, managing to identify the person responsible for the farm.
Once the inspection was carried out, the agents observed that the livestock lacked animal health control, so its consumption could pose a serious risk to human health. In addition, the remains of animals found in the river basin could be related to the exploitation. For these reasons, the agents drew up a report to the Department of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries of the Generalitat Valenciana for the commission of violations of Law 8/2033 on Animal Health of the Valencian Community, leaving the animals in storage at their disposal.
The person responsible for the farm could face serious offences due to the lack of communication of the death of the production animal, lack of disinfection, disinfestation and any sanitary measures established by regulation and absence of health documentation, and very serious offences for giving the animals intended for human consumption and by omission of the analyses, tests and detection tests for diseases to which animals intended for human consumption must be subjected. These infractions can lead to financial penalties of 3,001 to 1,200,000 euro.