Environment Secretary on 'shocking' horsemeat mislabelling

A slaughterhouse and a meat firm have been raided by police and food safety officials probing alleged mislabelling of horsemeat as beef.

Peter Boddy Licensed Slaughterhouse, in West Yorkshire, and Farmbox Meats Ltd, Aberystwyth, have had work suspended.

Environment Secretary Owen Paterson said it was utterly and totally disgraceful that any firm should pass off horsemeat as beef.

"It is absolutely shocking that we have found this practice going on within the UK... If there's been criminal activity, I expect police to bring in the full force of the criminal law."

He added that he was determined to eradicate the mislabelling, "We are absolutely united to stop this fraud on the public which appears to be conducted by criminal conspiracy".