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Crime Reporter
More than 1 600 people have been arrested for stock theft and other related crimes countrywide during a police operation code-named ‘Operation Nyama Yabvepi Number 2 of 2015’ in the last two weeks.

According to police, the operation was targeting rustlers, their markets and other players in the meat industry.

Police Anti-Stock Theft Unit national coordinator Senior Assistant Commissioner Bernard Dumbura said the operation was conducted between June 15 and 28.

“During the operation, we arrested 36 suspects for stock theft and 1 597 others for stock theft-related cases, making it a total of 1 633 suspects arrested,” he said.

He said they also recovered 49 cattle that had been stolen.

“We also closed 17 butcheries and 13 food outlets countrywide for various offences,” Snr Asst Comm Dumbura said.

He said they had noted that there was now discipline in the meat industry because of a decline in the numbers of the butcheries and food outlets that were closed during the operation.

Snr Asst Comm Dumbura said they will continue monitoring the meat industry and rustling activities until there was sanity countrywide.

Early last month, more than 560 people were arrested for stock theft and other related cases countrywide during “Operation Eradicate Cattle Rustlers Market Number 1 of 2015” conducted in two weeks.

Between January and April nearly 7 000 people were arrested for stock theft and other related cases countrywide.

In May, nearly 1 000 people were nabbed for the same offences countrywide.