Routine Inspection of Abattoirs Islandwide by APB

The Agricultural Protection Branch (APB) of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) has been conducting routine inspection of abattoirs across the island as they move to reduce the incidents of agricultural crimes.

Speaking during a recent episode of the JCF Force for Good Podcast, Head of the Area Five APB Unit, Inspector Robert Robinson, said personnel from the JCF have been visiting abattoirs daily.

“On a daily basis, the operational team go out there, we sensitise, we engage, we disseminate the information. We check the abattoirs on a daily basis, both day and night, just to ensure that persons are in alignment with various laws that govern food and food-handling establishments,” Mr. Robinson said.

“We ensure that persons operating in these establishments have a food handler’s permit, butcher’s licence, associate butcher’s licence, and all these various licences to be operating there, just to ensure that quality is maintained,” he added.

Inspector Robinson also mentioned that the APB utilises technology while undertaking any operation.

“So, we have our body cameras, we record these instances, we record all the sessions. For the movements of livestock and crops, we utilise the JamaicaEye at times to track and monitor, and we are looking to go into drone technology, just to conduct surveillance and to help with our investigations. So, we are embracing technology,” he stated.

Meanwhile, Commanding Officer of the APB, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Oral Pascoe, addressed the issue of trading of guns for meat with other Caribbean islands.

“Normally these activities happen in the nights. Persons who steal animals do bush slaughter, or they slaughter in the slaughterhouses, and normally the meats are not stamped, so it’s not fit for human consumption, and they try to smuggle it in the nights. And that is why we implement a 24-7 monitoring of the roads, major roads…, and that has brought a lot of success,” Mr. Pascoe said.

“Some of those recoveries that you see is actually stolen meats that were recovered. You would have seen a lot of stories about us recovering meats when a person is trying to move them across the island in nights, early morning, and it has really been effective,” he added.

SSP Pascoe noted that if during a routine stop a large cow carcass is seen and it is inspected and has no stamp on it, “there is suspicion that this animal probably was stolen, or there was a breach of the butcher’s regulations”.

“So, we have used the laws to our advantage in order to cauterise. We know of the link with organised crime, and we’re aware, and that is part of our contribution, and that is why we have a zero-tolerance [approach]. As a matter of fact, we actually issue tickets, we have issued about 8,000 tickets so far this year,” he stated.

SSP Pascoe stressed that vehicles are stopped under the Road Traffic Act, and searches are conducted under the Agricultural Produce Act, and Praedial Larceny Act, as well as other legislation.

“You don’t need a warrant to search for agricultural produce, and of course, if you encounter other offences like dangerous drug, marijuana, firearm, we will arrest those issues,” he stated.