Spain - February 13, 2025 The Guardia Civil has exposed a network of ranchers who defied bans on livestock activities, illegally trading equines in Cantabria and Asturias before sending nearly 300 horses to slaughterhouses in Castilla y León. As part of Operation "REMINDER," authorities uncovered four individuals violating court-ordered bans on livestock trade. Two had been barred from the equine industry after a Europol-backed investigation into falsified horse meat documentation. Despite this, they continued trading horses through a frontman who operated a stable in León. Additionally, another rancher, previously convicted of animal cruelty and prohibited from owning any animals, was found running a fully operational farm in Cantabria with horses, cattle, goats, and poultry. The Guardia Civil’s SEPRONA unit has initiated legal proceedings against those involved for violating their bans and engaging in unauthorized livestock operations.