Illegal movement of sheep may have contributed to the spread of foot-and-mouth in Britain, according to Agriculture Minister Mr Nick Brown following a British trading standards report.
A report drawn up last week for the British Prime Minister Mr Tony Blair an seen by the BBC suggests the scale of the illicit movements may have contributed to the spread.
It has been reported that trading standards officers have investigated 309 suspected cases of illegal sheep movements since the outbreak of foot-and-mouth.
Mr Brown said the illegal movements could have led to foot-and-mouth being transmitted to areas which had previously been disease-free.
He told BBC's Newsnightprogramme: "It is highly unlikely to be wind-borne or to do with happenstance or anything other than the movements of vehicles, people or livestock.
"If people have done something wrong - and that means moving livestock without licences - then they should be prosecuted."
The practice of "bed and breakfasting" sheep - lending them out to neighbouring farmers in order to fraudulently claim EU subsidies - is said to be widespread in some areas.
According to Newsnighta few farmers are even suspected of deliberately infecting their flocks with foot-and-mouth to claim compensation.
Mr Graham Cull, a trading standards adviser who helped compile the government report for Downing Street, believes more alleged cases of illegal movements will come to light.
He commented: "I suspect that we are going to hear of more as colleagues receive more complaints, more reports, carry out more investigations. I suspect that will rise."
PA