Authorities seal 86,000 litres of fuel, shut pumps at three petrol stations and freeze more than 60 bank accounts
Six people have been arrested and eight others placed under investigation following a joint Guardia Civil and Spanish Tax Agency operation into an alleged fuel distribution network accused of evading more than €2.2 million in taxes.
The organisation, based in Murcia and operating across the region, Alicante and other provinces, allegedly used a network of companies to buy, distribute and sell fuel outside fiscal controls.
Investigators launched Operation Vatoil-Visco after detecting unusual activity among several fuel trading companies suspected of selling products without accounting for the applicable taxes. Authorities say altered business documents were used to make transactions appear legitimate and conceal the source of profits.
In 2025 alone, two of the companies under investigation allegedly failed to pay approximately €400,000 in VAT and more than €1.8 million in fuel excise duty.
Officers searched an industrial warehouse and five homes in Murcia province, arresting five suspects simultaneously. A sixth was detained in the province the following day.
During the searches, authorities seized five luxury vehicles, around €9,000 in cash and extensive business documentation. They also sealed three storage tanks containing 86,000 litres of fuel and pumps at petrol stations in Villajoyosa, Alicante; Miguelturra, Ciudad Real; and Linares, Jaén. More than 60 bank accounts linked to the alleged network were frozen.
The suspects face allegations of membership of a criminal organisation and, depending on their involvement, tax offences, offences against consumers, criminal damage, document falsification, fraud and money laundering.
All six appeared before the investigating court in Orihuela. One was sent to prison under a pre-existing judicial order, while the remaining five were released subject to precautionary measures.
