Irish official Brendan Gleeson wrote to Elizabeth Sperber, of the European Anti Fraud Office (OLAF) in the European Commission, about the issue. He said: “In early 2004, arising from an investigation of a consignment of cattle stolen from a livestock mart in the south west of Ireland, the Irish authorities uncovered information leading them to believe that these cattle had been transported illegally to a holding in Northern Ireland. Mr Gleeson said that authorities on both sides of the border were “very satisfied with the outcome of the joint investigation”. He added: “The Irish authorities are in the process of examining the papers to assess whether there are sufficient grounds for prosecution in respect of the activities carried out within our jurisdiction. “We understand that the authorities in Northern Ireland are also initiating prosecutions.”

Source: The Herald December 30, 2025 11:15 UTC