Police in Mbarara District have arrested a 41-year-old man suspected of transporting meat believed to have been obtained from three stolen cows.
The suspect, identified as Milton Rutagiira, was arrested on Wednesday night during an intelligence-led police operation, according to police.
Police said Rutagiira was intercepted while allegedly transporting the meat and told investigators that he was taking it to Bwera in Kasese District.
The circumstances surrounding the alleged theft of the cattle and where the animals were slaughtered were not immediately clear. Police are expected to investigate the source of the meat and establish whether the animals were stolen.
The arrest comes amid intensified police operations in the Mbarara and greater Ankole region targeting livestock theft and the illegal transportation of animal products.
In August, police in Mbarara arrested three people after allegedly recovering meat from 39 cattle and 10 goats that authorities said had been stolen and slaughtered. The suspects were reportedly transporting the meat towards Kasese and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Mbarara City veterinary authorities warned at the time that transporting meat without veterinary inspection poses a public-health risk. Samples from the recovered meat were taken to a laboratory for examination.
Police have not indicated whether Rutagiira has been charged in court or whether the suspected stolen meat has been subjected to veterinary examination.
Rutagiira remains in police custody as investigations continue.
Police have not publicly explained the relevance of his reported support for Manchester United to the investigation.
