Livestock thieves in Murang’a county are said to have developed a ‘new mechanism’ to ease their stealing task at night hence subjecting farmers to losses amounting to Kshs5 million every week according to the 2021/22 financial year’s security situation report.
It has been established that the thieves have resorted to using alcohol and anesthesia to drug and immobilize livestock for easy transportation before they slaughter them in bushes and sell the meat to butcheries as others opt to sell the animals to meat sellers.
According to a publication in a local daily, the conclusion was reached based on the empty bottles of strong alcoholic drinks and clothes doused with surgical anesthesia drugs that are common places where the animals have been stolen.
On most occasions, the thieves target ” chicken, cows, goats, pigs and donkeys.” The stolen animals/meat are then transported to Kiambu and Nairobi counties.
In order to deal with such incidents, the authorities have however come up with several measures including banning transportation of meat at night and registration of meat transporters.
“It is the law that meat and animals be transported between 6am and 6pm. We will not entertain transportation during the night, We want all meat transporters to be registered and adhere to public health guidelines on how it is packed and transported…this habit of some characters packing meat in sacks and covering it with leaves will stop,” said Gatanga County Police Commander, Peter Muchemi.
The crime involves pharmacists who provide the thieves with anesthetic drugs and connections, liquor store owners and also those who rent out their vehicles and motorcycles for transportation purposes.
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