... recently uncovered attacks on four prominent Stud farms. England, France, US and Austria...
... Horses targeted for slaughter standing at different studs... all belonging to one powerful international syndicate... news kept quiet until fourth attack, at the Brereton Stud in Cheshire, North West England.
Security tight, especially after recent raids, but perpetrators got in, disabled all security and surveillance, killed grooms and private security staff, and accomplished their task.
... Total of 18 horses killed... financial loss in the tens of millions with future losses through loss of breeding stock incalculable... Stud owners and managers devastated, feel "useless". Details still incomplete, but horses seem to have been poisoned by injection... some only dying after their dead grooms were discovered... human casualties died by a variety of means. Some hacked to death... some strangled with a fine ligature like a piano wire/cheesecutter... some poisoned. Suggests a team of at least three, possibly four.
Reports confirmed that no other standing horses were injured in any way and, in the latest two attacks, four horses have been released from their stalls into the yard... one black, two chestnut and one white in both cases. Meaning is uncertain, but could simply be an adopted calling card...
Local police and Interpol appealing for help, but have no clues to go on.
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