Spain restaurant shut down for serving street pigeons as Chinese 'roast duck' delicacy

The Jin Gu restaurant was raided by Madrid police in late March, uncovering a disturbing scene: a hidden storage room stocked with plucked pigeons suspected to have been captured directly from city streets, The Telegraph reported.

Authorities described the secret storage area as unhygienic, heavily infested with cockroaches, and containing numerous strips of defrosted, unidentifiable meats. Officers also discovered frozen bags filled with various meats of unclear origins, including sea cucumbers, which are prohibited from sale in Spain, according to The Daily Mail.

Restaurant patrons had previously reported suspicious culinary experiences, with one January review explicitly noting: "The duck had a taste that was, at best, strange, and the kitchen had seemingly not been cleaned for months."

The restaurant owner is currently under investigation for possible violations of public health standards and wildlife protection laws.