Two men held after gun threat for meat samples

TWO men from north Tipperary are being questioned by gardai about an incident when meat samples were taken at gunpoint from a…

TWO men from north Tipperary are being questioned by gardai about an incident when meat samples were taken at gunpoint from a Department of Agriculture official in June last year.

A third man, also arrested under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act on Thursday and questioned about the same incident, has been released.

Gardai confirmed the men were being questioned about an incident when a firearm was produced and a Department of Agriculture official threatened.

The official had ordered a number of animal carcases to be set aside for examination because he suspected that they might have been treated with "angel dust" while he worked at a meat plant in Co Laois.

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Hours later, two men arrived at a hotel near Roscrea where the inspector had been asked to attend a meeting. Samples which had been taken from the cattle were removed from the inspector at gunpoint.

Later, the inspector's wife received threatening calls at the family home and for a time the man's family - was placed under Garda protection.

The men are being questioned at Cahir Garda station, Co Tipperary.