Pimpri Chinchwad police seize 24 tonnes of meat, 8 in net

PUNE: The Pimpri Chinchwad police intercepted four trucks near Talegaon Dabhade in the early hours of Sunday and seized about 24 tonnes of meat, suspected to be beef.


Eight persons — the four drivers and four cleaners of intercepted vehicles — were arrested and produced before a court, which remanded them in police custody till Monday.

Police probe revealed the meat was being transported to Mumbai from Osmanabad district. Shivshankar Swami, member of the cow protection group, said he received a tip-off. “With the police’s help we intercepted three trucks at Urse toll plaza on Pune-Mumbai expressway and other on Pune-Mumbai highway,” he said.

Swami lodged separate FIRs with Shirgaon and Talegaon Dabhade police. “An animal husbandry officer summoned to the spot prima facie confirmed the meat was beef,” Swami said, adding that each truck was carrying about six tonnes of meat.

A Pimpri Chinchwad police officer said the drivers were not carrying documents permitting them to transport beef. They didn’t have passes for inter-district travele ither.