Police Crack Down on Illegal Sheep Slaughter Ahead of Festival

Provence, France – Local law enforcement has intensified efforts to combat illegal sheep possession and slaughter in the lead-up to the Eid al-Adha festival. The Figaro gained exclusive access to these discreet operations that often unfold under tense circumstances.

A police vehicle was stationed among the vineyards, lights flashing, as a white livestock trailer branded with the Brigitte Bardot Foundation arrived. Officers led the trailer down a path to a nearby enclosure. “A flagrant offense. About sixty sheep, with half still alive,” said a veterinarian from the Departmental Directorate for the Protection of Populations via phone.

The trailer rumbled to a vacant lot littered with debris, including a toppled bathtub and disassembled machinery. Large white sheep crowded behind fencing, watched over by a chained Belgian Malinois. Nearby, two lambs bleated next to a dehydrated adult sheep lying on the ground. Another sheep lay motionless, near a hanging beam.

Police and gendarmerie officials apprehended a couple from Morocco caught in the act of illegal breeding, suspected of engaging in unlawful slaughter. These actions are part of the annual struggle against the black market related to the festival, aiming to ensure animal welfare and public safety.

This ongoing initiative highlights the state’s commitment to enforcing laws against such illicit practices and protecting livestock.