Four men arrested after police raid an illegal pig farm near Lutterworth

Four men have been arrested after police swooped on an illegal pig farm near Lutterworth on Saturday morning (December 11).

Harborough-based police officers raced to the farm on Dunton Road, Leire, at about 8am.

They are believed to have been tipped off by local people who became suspicious of abnormal activity around the farm.

The alarm was raised after a lot of vehicles were spotted parked up at the scene.

Police wildlife officers based in Harborough district found a number of pigs at the site believed to have been “slaughtered illegally”.

They immediately called a vet.

And they had to put a number of pigs to sleep to put them out of their suffering.

Other pigs at the farm had to be taken away to be looked after by Leicestershire County Council.

Police arrested four men at the scene on “suspicion of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal”.

Two men aged 31 from Birmingham, a 34-year-old man from Coventry and a man aged 72 from Leicester were all detained on the spot by officers.

The four suspects were questioned by police before being released “under investigation pending further enquiries”.

Police also immediately alerted Leicestershire Trading Standards and the RSPCA.

The investigation into the highly-organised illegal operation is now being spearheaded by Leicestershire Trading Standards.

A Leicestershire Police spokeswoman said today: “Police were called at around 8am on Saturday 11 December to a farm in Dunton Road, Leire, Lutterworth, following concern regarding a large number of vehicles which were parked at the location.

“Force wildlife officers based within Harborough Neighbourhood Policing Area attended the scene where a number of pigs were found which were believed to have been slaughtered illegally.

“A vet was called to the scene.

“A number of pigs had to be euthanised by the vet.

“Other pigs which were at the farm were taken into possession of Leicestershire County Council,” she said.

“Officers carried out an initial investigation and following enquiries at the scene four men – two aged 31 and from Birmingham, one aged 34 from Coventry and one aged 72 from Leicester - were arrested on suspicion of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal.

“They have since been released under investigation pending further enquiries.

“Contact was also made by the officers with Leicestershire Trading Standards and the RSPCA.

“The investigation, which is now being led by Leicestershire Trading Standards, is continuing.”

A Leicestershire Trading Standards spokeswoman said: “Officers from Leicestershire Trading Standards were called out to the farm by Leicestershire Police and have removed a number of pigs from the site.

“Our investigation is ongoing and we will continue to work closely with the police.”

Cllr Phil King, who leads Harborough District Council, told the Harborough Mail this afternoon: “This is absolutely awful.

“We were aware of this police investigation.

“Apart from cruelty to the animals, there was also a risk that unregulated and contaminated meat would find its way on to the market and into the food chain.

“I don’t want to say any more at the moment because we know that the police and Trading Standards investigation into this incident is ongoing.”

A shocked local farmer who asked not to be named told the Mail: “This is the sort of thing that gets good legitimate farmers like myself a bad name.

“It is shocking and is simply not acceptable.

“Farm animals should be looked after properly and treated well.

“I am pleased that the police are carrying out an investigation into what went on there and have put an end to this,” said the farmer.

“I just hope that the people behind this illegal operation are charged and punished.”