Europol has announced significant progress in the fight against the trafficking of illegal pesticides within the European Union. It has revealed the results of two major operations conducted in Italy and Spain.
These operations, supported by Europol, have exposed the severe environmental impact and widespread nature of illegal pesticide distribution in south-eastern Europe.
Operation in Italy: Counterfeit pesticides from China
The first investigation, spearheaded by the Italian Carabinieri Anti-Adulteration and Public Health Units (NAS) of Padova, the Romanian National Police, and Eurojust, targeted a company importing counterfeit pesticides from China. These illegal products were sophisticated replicas of those made by a well-known multinational company. However, they contained higher levels of the active ingredient Lambda-Cyhalothrin. Importantly, this substance is banned in the EU due to its high toxicity.
The investigation, which culminated on June 24 and 25, uncovered a criminal network operating in Italy and Romania. The network imported counterfeit and banned pesticides from China and Singapore. Furthermore, they marketed them as bio or organic products with fake labels. The demand for these cheaper, yet toxic, pesticides was high on the black market.
Authorities arrested one suspect, searched ten locations, and seized evidence of large-scale fraud, forgery, and tax evasion. Europol played a crucial role by facilitating information exchange and operational cooperation, which led to further investigative leads.
Operation in Spain: Toxic substances in protected areas
In a parallel investigation, the Spanish Guardia Civil and the Portuguese Guarda Nacional Republicana targeted a Spanish company illegally importing banned pesticides from Portugal. These substances, disguised under false product names registered in Spanish databases, posed a severe threat to the environment, particularly in protected areas like the Doñana National Park.
The Spanish authorities discovered that the suspects had imported over 12 tonnes of toxic pesticides, with an estimated illegal turnover of up to €7 million. Laboratory tests confirmed the presence of Chlorpyrifos, an organophosphate insecticide banned in the EU since 2020. This toxic pesticide was found in farming facilities within protected areas, threatening habitats, wetlands, and underground water reserves.
Currently, investigations are ongoing against two legal entities and four individuals connected to this illicit activity.