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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
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| Cheshire firm investigated in horsemeat scandal | Cheshire firm investigated in horsemeat scandal |
| (4 months later) | |
| The official investigation into the horsemeat scandal has widened to include a Cheshire-based company that supplied meat to ABP, the Irish beef processing firm at the heart of the allegations. | The official investigation into the horsemeat scandal has widened to include a Cheshire-based company that supplied meat to ABP, the Irish beef processing firm at the heart of the allegations. |
| The Guardian has learned that local food safety officers were asked last week by the Food Standards Agency to inquire into Norwest Foods International, a large-scale importer of fresh and frozen meats with satellite operations in Poland and Spain. | The Guardian has learned that local food safety officers were asked last week by the Food Standards Agency to inquire into Norwest Foods International, a large-scale importer of fresh and frozen meats with satellite operations in Poland and Spain. |
| One of the directors of Norwest is Ray MacSharry Jr, head of a racehorse syndicate in Ireland and son of the former Irish finance minister and EU commissioner for agriculture Ray MacSharry. | One of the directors of Norwest is Ray MacSharry Jr, head of a racehorse syndicate in Ireland and son of the former Irish finance minister and EU commissioner for agriculture Ray MacSharry. |
| Norwest trades more than £80m worth of meats and seafood a year between the UK and Ireland and Poland, Spain, China and the Indian subcontinent, according to its latest accounts. It is listed in industry catalogues as a supplier of minced red meats, poultry and offcuts including offal, pork feet and chicken feet. | Norwest trades more than £80m worth of meats and seafood a year between the UK and Ireland and Poland, Spain, China and the Indian subcontinent, according to its latest accounts. It is listed in industry catalogues as a supplier of minced red meats, poultry and offcuts including offal, pork feet and chicken feet. |
| Cheshire East council confirmed that its officers had been asked by the FSA to look at the company's operations and had subsequently handed the inquiry back to the agency, which is now dealing with Norwest directly. Norwest declined to comment on the FSA's inquiries or to answer questions. | Cheshire East council confirmed that its officers had been asked by the FSA to look at the company's operations and had subsequently handed the inquiry back to the agency, which is now dealing with Norwest directly. Norwest declined to comment on the FSA's inquiries or to answer questions. |
| Norwest's business interests include an abattoir in Spain, an office in Poland and an animal feed business in Ireland. | Norwest's business interests include an abattoir in Spain, an office in Poland and an animal feed business in Ireland. |
| The FSA said that except where test results had been returned as positive for horsemeat, it would not be naming any companies while its investigation was under way. | The FSA said that except where test results had been returned as positive for horsemeat, it would not be naming any companies while its investigation was under way. |
| ABP confirmed that it had sourced meat from Norwest but declined to give any further details. ABP owns the factories in Ireland and Yorkshire that produced beefburgers for Tesco and other discount supermarkets that turned out to contain horsemeat. | ABP confirmed that it had sourced meat from Norwest but declined to give any further details. ABP owns the factories in Ireland and Yorkshire that produced beefburgers for Tesco and other discount supermarkets that turned out to contain horsemeat. |
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