A secret butchery in Vienna’s Favoriten district was busted on Thursday after a tip led authorities to the location. The former carpentry shop housed three undocumented workers and showed shocking disregard for hygiene and food safety rules. Officials announced that “several hundred kilograms of meat will now be destroyed.”
The site was in terrible condition. Cooling equipment wasn’t used, and meat was stored dangerously at 66°F (19°C), sometimes directly on the floor. Even more shocking, frozen meat was being defrosted with a heat gun, creating serious health risks.
Food samples have been collected for further testing, and the local District Office has started legal actions against the operators.
“This illegal butchery is a scandal,” said Walter Hillerer, head of the Rapid Response Team. “Ignoring basic hygiene and safety like this is a serious threat to public health. We will destroy the unsafe meat and hold the responsible parties accountable.”
Authorities are now stressing the need for stricter monitoring to prevent such health risks in the future.
