The Civil Guard has been dismantled in the city of Granada Motril a criminal gang dedicated to food fraud that operated in several countries. Four people were arrested and 16 are under investigation for the crimes of aggravated fraud, falsification of documents, falsification of certificates, use of false certificates, against the Public Treasury and Social Security and membership in a criminal group.
As they made clear from the Civil GuardThe group sold conventional fruits and vegetables in major European markets as if they were produced organically, much more expensive than conventional products in these destinations.
The prisoners “They systematically falsified“the production and sales certificates that organic production control bodies must issue on the traceability of these fruits and vegetables. Researchers estimate that in the last six months alone, the gang has sold more than two million kilos of conventionally produced fruits and vegetables as organic.
Among those detained are: the owner of the company and his trusted menAmong those investigated were operators who sold conventional fruits and vegetables supposedly from organic plots to the prisoners’ company, as well as managers of private companies that issued the false organic certificates.
During the investigation phase, agents of the Nature Protection Service (Seprona) discovered that the detainees also had the collaboration of approved laboratorieswho carried out multiple analyses on the products until they gave negative results for plant protection products, and their application is incompatible with organic production.
It was also found that this company supplied fruits and vegetables harvested from plots that did not appear in the official records of the Organic Production Information System of Andalusia, although this is mandatory. In addition, they then left the warehouses in Motril with lack of traceability and with falsified documents.
This action began to take shape after an inspection carried out by Seprona agents at the company under investigation during the development phase of the operation. opson XI of the Civil Guard, which aims to combat the production and trafficking of counterfeit food products and the economic fraud that results from them.
