---
title: Queensland Man Convicted of Cattle Gallstone Theft
description: A Toowoomba man has been found guilty of stealing almost $4500 worth of cattle gallstones from a local abattoir and given a two-month suspended sentence
image: https://news.foodsafety.com.au/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/queensland_man_found_guilty_of_cattle_gallstone_thef-1.jpg
---

# Queensland Man Guilty of Cattle Gallstone Theft

A Toowoomba man has been found guilty of stealing almost $4500 worth of cattle gallstones from a local abattoir and given a two-month suspended sentence.

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![Queensland Man Guilty of Cattle Gallstone Theft](https://news.foodsafety.com.au/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/queensland_man_found_guilty_of_cattle_gallstone_thef-1.jpg?width=820&height=462&name=queensland_man_found_guilty_of_cattle_gallstone_thef-1.jpg)

 June 26, 2015

A Toowoomba man has been found guilty of stealing more than 400 grams of cattle gallstones, which are estimated to be worth almost AUD $4,500.

Officers from the Stock and Rural Crime Investigation Squad (SARCIS) [arrested the 38-year-old man](http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/dean-eames-found-guilty-of-toowoomba-cattle-gallstone-theft-20150623-ghvi1y.html), Dean Raymond Alfred Eames, earlier in May.

Mr Eames pled guilty to stealing 414.2 grams of cattle gallstones from a Darling Downs abattoir in the Toowoomba Magistrates Court on Tuesday this week.

## Mr Eames Arrested in May

Police said they raided Mr Eames’s Toowoomba property after receiving a tip off and afterwards arrested him. They also added that the gallstones had been slowly stolen, and then eaten by Mr Eames, over a period of six months.

Mr Eames’s lawyer argued that [his client was not aware of the monetary value of the gallstones and had only stolen them to eat himself](http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/abattoir-supervisor-pleads-guilty-to-stealing-and-eating-cattle-gallstones-worth-20000-per-kilo/story-fntwpug1-1227412630227), which he reportedly did to battle the fatigue he suffered as a result of working two jobs, reported the *Brisbane Courier*.

## Why Steal Cattle Gallstones?

Cattle gallstones are often used in traditional Chinese medicine and are reported to be worth up to AUD $20,000 per kilogram. They are small, hard masses made up of digestive fluids and form in a cows gallbladder. Eating cattle gallstones is reported to benefit health issues related to the heart and liver.

Dr Yunjiand Feng, from Queensland’s Griffith University, says in the [*Brisbane Times*](http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/valuable-cattle-gallstones-in-toowoomba-stolen-and-recovered-20150527-ghafs0.html) that although there were many Chinese practitioners in Australia that use cattle gallstones, she imagined that because there was such a high demand for the stones, they would also offer "some black market attractions".

After being found guilty of the crime, the Toowoomba Magistrates Court handed Mr Eames a wholly suspended two months jail sentence.

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