Police attached to the St Thomas division have taken two men into custody after the seizure of three cow carcasses in the parish on March 19.

Reports are that, about 1:00 a.m., members of the Operational Support Team were on patrol in the area when they observed a car parked in an isolated area. Upon investigation, a man was observed in the vehicle. He was questioned and, based on information received, the team was led to several communities in the parish where two other men and three cow carcasses were found.

Upon seeing the police, one of the men fled the scene. He was subsequently apprehended by law men and taken into custody along with the driver of the motor car. The identities of the men in custody are being withheld pending further investigations.

According to deputy superintendent of police (DSP) in charge of the parish Charmaine Shand, "We (the police) are appealing to butchers to be careful of the meat they are purchasing. The visit of abattoirs has increased significantly, and the recently formed Anti Praedial Larceny Agro-Environmental Team was instituted as a result of the upsurge in crimes in contravention to the Praedial Larceny Prevention Act. The crimes cannot continue, we will be clamping down on them. We (the police) are committed to dealing with the perpetrators of this crime by enforcing the Praedial Larceny Prevention Act".

DSP Shand further implored farmers to continue attending farming meetings and encouraged them to register with the Rural Agricultural Development Authority for the benefits of the new identification system that is in place.

A similar operation was conducted a few hours later, between 6:00 a.m., and 9:00 a.m., The Agro-Environment Unit in St Elizabeth reported that, following a prolonged, investigation in the Knutford district, two men were arrested after they were held with the carcasses of two goats, one sheep and one pig

The men are in custody for suspicion of illegal possession of property, and breaches of the Agricultural Produce Act and the Public Health Act. Their identities are being withheld pending further investigations.