May 20, 2025 | Spain
The Guardia Civil has dismantled a criminal organization involved in the illegal international trafficking of plastic waste, as part of Operation Finoplast. Five individuals have been arrested and another 15 are under investigation for illegally trading more than 41,000 tonnes of waste, both within Spain and abroad.
The investigation began in late 2022 with the discovery of an illegal landfill containing thousands of tonnes of plastic waste in a former brick factory in Bierzo, León. Officers from SEPRONA (the Guardia Civil’s environmental protection unit) found the site lacked the required environmental permits, prompting a broader investigation.
Authorities uncovered that the majority of the waste originated from agricultural plastic in France and Portugal. The materials were transported by heavy trucks on return trips from France to Portugal and were dumped in illegal storage sites in León (Bierzo and La Bañeza) and Alberic in Valencia. Over 18,800 tonnes of waste were brought into Spain illegally through this scheme.
While some waste was left abandoned in these sites, much of it was exported to third countries under false documentation or disguised as raw material. Nearly 22,800 tonnes were shipped illegally to countries including India, Turkey, Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, Hong Kong, Pakistan, the UK, Angola, Brazil, Morocco, and the United Arab Emirates.
Investigators discovered links between the suspects and several companies involved in plastic waste management in Almería. These companies allegedly packed containers using a method known as “the cover,” where clean plastic bales were placed at the front to hide contaminated waste behind them — a tactic to evade customs inspections.
Toxic substances were found in 15 of 16 waste samples taken in Valencia, according to the National Institute of Toxicology and Forensic Sciences in Barcelona.
Authorities have searched four corporate headquarters representing 16 companies, inspected four additional businesses, and raided two residences, seizing documents and locating thousands of tonnes of illegal waste. Environmental authorities from Castilla y León and the Valencian Community assisted in identifying the clandestine storage sites.
The European Union’s Copernicus program supported the investigation by mapping and measuring illegal waste deposits using satellite technology. Financial investigations have been assigned to the Office for Asset Management and Recovery, which is coordinating with agencies in Germany, Switzerland, and the UK.
The case is being led by the Guardia Civil’s SEPRONA team in León, under the direction of the Court of Instruction No. 1 and the Environmental Prosecutor’s Office in Ponferrada. The organization’s ringleader has been placed in pre-trial detention.
A total of 21 European investigation orders were issued, enabling Spanish authorities to carry out operations in coordination with French and Portuguese counterparts through Eurojust and Europol. French Gendarmerie, Portuguese Judicial Police, and Spain’s Central Environmental Operations Unit were all involved.
The operation has also been supported by Spain’s Ministry for the Ecological Transition, the Regional Waste and Contaminated Soil Service of Castilla y León, and multiple specialized units of the Guardia Civil from León, Valencia, Almería, and Tenerife.
This case marks one of the largest crackdowns on illegal waste trafficking in recent European history.
