Lorraine Williamson
The Guardia Civil has arrested 32 people and investigated 21 others in Spain as part of an international macro operation against food fraud, which mainly affected products such as extra virgin olive oil (EOVE) and wines with Protected Designation of Origin (DOP). In a number of cases, the products posed a risk to public health.
The Guardia Civil has detained 32 people and is still investigating 21 others. They are suspected of crimes against industrial property, food fraud, document forgery and endangering public health. Among other things, they tampered with extra olive oil and wines with a protected designation of origin.
The specific action of the Spanish police was coordinated with European authorities such as EUIPO and Europol. At European level, the police forces of the 29 participating countries have issued 104 arrest warrants, with which no fewer than 184 search warrants have been executed. In addition, a total of 278 people have been indicted and 11 criminal organisations have been dismantled.
More than 3,000 inspections
During the operation, the agents carried out more than 3,000 inspections in distribution centres, warehouses, vehicles, ports and airports throughout Spain. They discovered 2,200 administrative violations. In addition to 22,000 tons of illegal products, they also seized 850,000 litres of adulterated or substandard alcoholic beverages. A total of €91 million worth of goods were withdrawn from the market.
The suspects are alleged to have committed suspected industrial property crimes, fraud, food fraud, falsification of documents, and public health. Specifically, the operation focused on counterfeit (or inferior) food and alcoholic beverages, illegal food supply chains, food fraud, food security and financially motivated adulteration. A total of 22,000 tons of illegal products and 850,000 litres of beverages, mainly alcohol, were seized. In addition, goods worth more than €91 million were withdrawn from the market.
The researchers saw a continued trend in the sale of expired food found at waste disposal companies. The arrestees erase and reprint the expiration dates and add new labels by reintroducing expired products into the supply chain.
Cheese, hams and tuna
The main operations in Spain took place in Madrid, La Rioja, Seville, Valencia and Málaga. In Madrid, 642 five-litre bottles of oil, 104 hams and 207 cheeses were immobilised and then destroyed, with one person arrested. The investigation into four others is still ongoing. They sold oil, Iberian hams and cheeses without being able to prove their traceability.
In La Rioja, around 120,000 jars of tuna and 45,000 litres of oil were seized, and four people were arrested who owned a canning factory in Alfaro that made the canned goods with tuna of lower quality than the one on the label. Also, the oil used was not correct on the label. Thus, they managed to sell the products at prices that were much lower than the competition.
In Seville, pallets of frozen cod fillets, which had already passed their expiration date, were relabelled. The police seized 45,320 kilograms of frozen products.
Also, the police dismantled a criminal group dedicated to the distribution of oil, which was mixed with other types of oil (such as sunflower, seed..). 11 people were arrested and 20,000 litres of counterfeit oil were seized.
Pickles
In Valencia, the police launched an investigation into a pickle company that offered for sale pickled products that were not fit for consumption. They contained dyes and preservatives that did not comply with regulations in this area. The police found 80,000 kilograms of unsuitable products in the business premises. A large part of it was stored and packaged, ready for sale and consumption.
Miscellaneous food seized in Málaga
Finally, in Coín, province of Málaga, eight people were arrested, dismantling a criminal organisation with 1,800 kilos of food products such as cold cuts, ham, salmon, pizzas and refrigerated and frozen eggs, poorly stored, unlabelled or with expired expiration dates. The suspects removed the expiration label or removed it to later hand it out to their customers.
Also read: 33 tons of tobacco and 6 million counterfeit cigarettes seized