EIGHT searches were carried out in Ireland this weekend as a part of a Europe-wide investigation into the large-scale trade of horses with fraudulent identification documents and histories. Searches also took place in Belgium, France and the Netherlands, and more than 1,000 horses were inspected along with their accompanying documentation.

Europol supported the operation, which was led by Belgian investigators, and which is focused on a criminal network suspected of forging horse passports and manipulating microchips before trading and exporting these horses. There are fears that this could lead to horses entering the food chain, which are ineligible to do so.

A statement on their website said Europol deployed experts to Ireland and Belgium during the operation to cross-check information against its databases and assist with real-time information sharing. The agency brought in expertise from Operation OPSON, which specialises in tackling the trafficking of counterfeit and substandard food and beverages, because of the suspected connection to the food chain. In Ireland, the investigations were led by the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation.

Europol further stated that evidence seized during the searches is now undergoing analysis and that investigations remain ongoing, with authorities in the participating countries working to identify further individuals potentially involved in the criminal network. However, there is no indication that any arrests were made nor horses seized.

An Garda Siochana made the following statement on their social media channels: “The investigation centres on the alleged large-scale trade of horses whose identification details and histories were fraudulently altered, enabling their movement and resale throughout Europe. The criminal network is suspected of forging horse passports and manipulating microchips to grant the animals new identities, obscuring their true background and eligibility for human consumption.”

The searches occurred while Ireland holds the presidency of the Council of the European Union for the second half of 2026, with Minister Heydon due to give the opening address at the European Equine Conference in Kildare later this month. Hosted by the European Horse Network, Horse Racing Ireland, and the European Federation of Thoroughbred Breeders’ Associations, the conference will focus on a number of key topics, including the Common Agricultural Policy and Animal Transport file, a roundtable discussion on the Irish breeding and racing sector, and a discussion on equine identification and traceability.