ONE of Ireland's best-known farmers is expected to be charged with possessing illegal animal growth-promoting drugs. The haul was discovered in the attic of his home recently.
The Munster-based farmer, who cannot be named for legal reasons, runs one of the largest beef-fattening operations in the State and is prominent in agribusiness.
The raid on his home was carried out about 10 days ago by the Department of Agriculture's control inquiry team, which has responsibility for combating the use of illegal drugs in cattle.
It had been alerted to the possibility of drug abuse on the farm when samples from animals presented at a north Munster meat plant showed signs of drug use.
During a dawn raid on the farm, a large quantity of drugs was taken from the attic of the farmhouse. More drugs were found in farm buildings near the home.
The drugs and a number of documents also seized in the raid have been taken for further examination by the team, which is carrying out tests on the animals on the farm to see if they have been treated with illegal drugs.
An order banning all movement of cattle from the farm has been made while the remaining animals are investigated.
It is understood the haul of drugs was made up of growth promoters and hormone cocktails, and that so far no clenbuterol, commonly known as angel dust, has been identified.
However, all growth promoters, including the natural growth promoters which were in legal use here until 1986, are now banned and their use contravenes the Animal Remedies Act.
In recent months the Department's special team has secured a number of court convictions of animal drug abusers and in a number of high-profile cases, prison sentences have been handed down.
The heaviest, 12 months, was imposed on a Co Tipperary farmer who had appealed a six month sentence imposed on him by Athlone District Court on October 21st.
On December 9th, a Co Meath vet was sentenced to six months in prison at Kilcock District Court for possessing and keeping for sale illegal growth promoters.
Many in the industry believed that the reporting of these cases and the heavy fines had ended the use of illegal drugs.
As a result, some of the special squad which had been dealing with the drugs problem for over five years were reassigned to a departmental investigation into the possible importation of BSE-infected cows from Northern Ireland.
A total of 90 cases involving drugs dating back to 1991 are awaiting hearing by the courts.