Ham shine: Jamon Iberico worth €200,000 stolen in Spain’s Huelva

POLICE are hunting thieves who made off with an astonishing €200,000 worth of Christmas ham.

Around 400 legs of the nation’s best Iberian acorn ham – a delicacy with a Protected Designation of Origin seal – have been stolen from a family business in southern Andalusia. Ham, known for its melt-in-your-mouth taste, used to be served on festive tables around the world, but has now disappeared.

Burglars hit the Jamones Eíriz factory in Corteconcepción, a sleepy mountain village in Huelva.

A third of the manufacturer’s entire stock was removed, sending shockwaves through the small, tight-knit community.

Police believe five people were involved in the theft, and some are even whispering it could have been an inside job.

Domingo Eíriz, whose family has run the business since 1818, revealed the moment he discovered the murder. Speaking to Antena 3, he said he was alerted by a worker who asked: “Domingo, where are the hams, did you get them?” What he found was shocking – 400 legs of ham were gone, each worth over €500.

“It’s not just about the money, it’s about the destruction of years of work,” fumed Eíriz. “They knew exactly what they were doing and they did it at the worst possible time – just before Christmas.”

Despite the family’s best efforts to keep their operation safe, the stolen meat was stored in an unusual location to have tags put on it, raising suspicions of insider involvement.

Jamones Eíriz is a small business with only 20 employees, eight of whom are family members.