RCMP in North Battleford, Sask., were greeted with a surprising sight on Wednesday when they opened the back of a stolen van.

It was filled with slaughtered lambs.

The van had been stolen from an Edmonton business, Acme Meat Market, which was about to have the carcasses butchered.

Instead, it ended up in a parking lot 390 kilometres away in North Battleford.

Police are searching for the culprits.

The business owner estimated the value of the lambs at $40,000.