Authorities from the veterinary and food supply department seized on Tuesday a large batch of donkey meat, from an estimated 70 donkeys, that was waiting to be cooked and allegedly distributed to Cairo restaurants for human consumption.
Investigators say the owner of the farm on the Assiut western road in Fayoum province, where the meat was seized, had long been slaughtering donkeys and distributing their meat to restaurants in Greater Cairo.
The operation, that was formed of veterinary doctors, also found around 1,000 alive donkeys that were ready to be slaughtered.
While the farm owner said the donkey meat was being given as food for lions of the circus, Mostafa al-Qeesy, deputy of the department, said they received information that the meat was also being sold for human consumption.
Residents said that the slaughtering of donkeys has been taking place for years in the farm and that the owner had been disposing of the donkey heads and bowels on the side of the road.
Mohamed Sulieman, a worker in a nearby farm, said the meat are usually transferred in vehicles to Cairo after being prepared.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
