Illegal Slaughterhouse Raided

A Hialeah man was arrested for operating an illegal slaughterhouse and animal cruelty.

An illegal slaughterhouse in Hialeah was raided today, according to a report from the Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office.

The Hialeah Police Department arrested Rudesindo "Rudy" Acosta, the prime operator of the slaughterhouse. He is charged with three counts of animal cruelty, one count of using a firearm during the commission of a felony, 40 counts of animal confinement, and three counts of conspiracy  to commit these felonies.

The Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office and Hialeah Police discovered several farms operating within the City of Hialeah that were illegally slaughtering animals. The method used in slaughtering animals was done in a crude, inhumane manner that led to acute pain and suffering of the animals, including repeated beatings with sledgehammers and stabbing with knives. Normal 0 Normal 0

"Brutally beating and animal with a sledgehammer as it squeals out in pain and then stabbing it repeatedly for profit violates every concept of Florida's animal crulety laws," says Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle. "No legitimate slaughterhouse operator or any self-respecting farmer would treat their livestock in such a ghastly manner."

The unsanitary conditions in the slaughterhouse allowed blood and other animal fluids to seep into the ground, possibly endangering the water quality of the City of Hialeah.

"What concerns me is we're dealing with a public safety issue," adds Hialeah Police Chief Mark Overton. "There's no telling what health hazards families are exposed to when they consume meats sold by these unregulated slaughterhouses."

NBC Miami will bring you updates as this story develops.

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