The Civil Guard has dismantled a network involved in the illegal trafficking of refrigerant gases and the handling of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) in Torrevieja. The investigation identified four installers, three of whom were operating illegally, and uncovered that the main suspect had earned approximately 23,000 euros in three months from selling parts of manipulated equipment and other objects to scrap yards.
During the operation, an irregularly employed worker was found performing dangerous tasks without adequate safety measures, posing significant risks to his health and the environment.
On November 4th, the main suspect was investigated for alleged environmental crimes, illegal hazardous waste management, refrigerant gas trafficking, and labor rights violations. The case has been presented to the Investigative Court No. 4 of Torrevieja and the Environmental Prosecutor’s Office of Alicante. The Torrevieja City Council has also been informed.
The installers involved face disciplinary actions for not managing devices according to regulations. The Civil Guard reported these activities to the Department of Environment, Infrastructure, and Territory of Alicante.
The operation began in August when SEPRONA in Guardamar received anonymous tips about illegal waste-related activities. The main suspect, a 44-year-old Romanian man with a history of similar crimes, was found receiving air conditioning units from installers for 20 euros each and fragmenting them in his home’s courtyard to sell the metal parts as scrap.
