112 illegal Butcheries Shut By Zimbabwe Republic Police Force (ZRP), Who Arrested 51 People

Stock theft is now the scourge of the Zimbabwean society with multiple butcheries  mushrooming all over and offering a safe haven or disposal points for cheap stolen cattle for slaughter.

In a two week operation, which ended on March 27, codenamed, Inyama liyithethe ngaphi/nyama yabvepi, the Zimbabwe Republic Police Force (ZRP),  force successfully closed down a total of 112 illegal butcheries and managed to arrest  51 people in an effort to halt rampant stock theft.

Operation nyama liyithethe ngaphi/nyama yabvepi rounded  up 51 cattle rustlers after focusing on illegal butcheries who are the main purchasers of stolen cattle, while also rounding 2,160 people over stock theft related crime.
The police managed to recover 73 stolen cattle, 58 goats an 3 donkeys, and 897kg of stolen meat, arrested and  fined 1,470 people for handling illegal meat.

The  police added that this operation needs Zimbabwe’s government to introduce stiffer penalties ,  much as sentencing buyers of stolen cattle, up to 18 years in prison, while at the same time the police force are promoting the branding of all cattle by owners. By Sibusiso Ngwenya