Goat carcasses prepared for processing. (USDA file photo/Jeff Ellison)
Posted: Monday, 19 October 2009 9:02AM
Feds raid goat meat processing plant
KINSMAN, Ill. (WBBM/CBS) -- Federal agents conducted a raid Sunday afternoon at a goat meat processing plant near Morris, Illinois.
The operation was led by the Chicago FBI office. An agent confirmed for Newsradio 780 they were executing a search warrant at the First World Management plant in Kinsman, Illinois.
Why is a mystery. A call to the plant was met largely with silence. We did get confirmation that some items -- possibly computers -- were seized and that there were no arrests.
Neighbors who saw the raid tell CBS 2 News it was a huge operation, involving more than 100 agents, police officers and even what one believed to be National Guard troops.
One witness said she saw troops carrying M-16 rifles that were trained on a group of men sitting on the ground outside the facility.
Several witnesses reported that the Grundy County Sheriff's office was involved, as well, saying sheriff dept. vehicles were visible at the scene. The Sheriff's department denies it was present.
FBI officials told CBS 2 the meat plant was shut down and abandoned. A spokeswoman would not comment on whether the plant was processing goat meat illegally.
CBS 2 talked to an unidentified person who answered the phone at the business, First World Management Meat processing. However that person would only say that he didn't know why the FBI raided the business. He said that nobody was arrested and that some items were removed from the plant during a search by the authorities.
When asked if the raid had something to do with undocumented aliens, the person wouldn't say. A neighbor suggested that undocumented immigrants live in a trailer behind the facility and work there.
One witness said she saw FBI agents removing computers.
Contents of this site are Copyright 2009 by WBBM. CBS 2 contributed to this report.
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