The Spanish Civil Guard has successfully dismantled a criminal network specializing in the illegal import, storage, transport, and export of plastic waste to several countries, including Morocco. Five individuals were arrested, and 15 others are under investigation for their involvement in the illicit trafficking of over 41,000 tons of plastic waste at both national and international levels. The operation was launched following the discovery, in late 2022, of an illegal plastic waste dump containing thousands of tons in an abandoned brick factory in El Bierzo in the province of León. The facility lacked the necessary environmental permits. Investigations revealed that much of the waste consisted of agricultural plastic imported from France and Portugal, transported by heavy trucks and stored in unlicensed facilities in León and Valencia. According to documents reviewed, more than 18,800 tons of plastic waste were illegally brought into Spain from France and Portugal. Additionally, around 22,785 tons of plastic waste were smuggled to countries including Morocco, India, Turkey, Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, Hong Kong, Pakistan, the United Kingdom, Angola, Brazil, and the United Arab Emirates. The traffickers falsified documentation and concealed the waste inside containers by placing clean plastic bales at the front to evade detection during customs and police inspections. Civil Guard officers searched the premises of four companies and the headquarters of 16 others. They also raided two private homes, seizing documents and uncovering large quantities of illegally stored waste in coordination with environmental authorities in Castilla y León and Valencia.
