Story highlights Authorities crack down on European horsemeat ring; arrest 65

Meat labeled unfit for human consumption was processed using forged documents and transported across the continent

(CNN) Spanish police have arrested and charged 65 individuals over a continent-wide ring that traded in horsemeat from animals "in bad shape, too old or simply labelled as 'not suitable for consumption,'"according to a statement released by Europol.

Spain's Guardia Civil, in coordination with Europol, the European police agency, charged the individuals with crimes including animal abuse, document forgery, perverting the course of justice, crimes against public health, money laundering and being part of a criminal organization, the press release says.

The investigation is related to 2013's horsemeat scandal , which came to light after the Food Safety Authority of Ireland found that 10 out of 27 hamburger products it analyzed in a study contained horse DNA.

In one sample from Tesco -- Britain's largest grocery chain -- the horsemeat accounted for about 29% of the burger.

A French supplier, Comigel, which supplies products to customers in 16 countries, was at the time implicated in the scandal. Some frozen products labeled as beef contained as much as 60% horsemeat.

Samples of horsemeat are collected by investigators in a Guardia Civil/Europol joint investigation into horsemeat smuggling throughout Europe.

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