26 tonnes of Illegal Plant Protection Products seized in France and Spain
7 Apr 2025
Law enforcement from France and Spain, supported by Europol, have arrested 29 members of a criminal organisation for selling illegal plant protection products. The investigation revealed that the gang had sold 25 tonnes of these products, mainly in France. Investigators estimate that the suspects earned more than EUR 5 million from their illicit activities.
Further information can be found here: https://www.europol.europa.eu/...
The members of the gang were involved in environmental crime, money laundering and document fraud. They exploited business structures and coordinated a supply chain for illegal plant protection products based in Italy, Portugal and Spain since 2020.
The investigation was led by Spain (Guardia Civil). Given the complexity of the criminal network, the police operation was carried out in two phases: the first between June 2024 and January 2025 with the support of French authorities, and the second between June 2024 and January 2025 with the support of Italian authorities.
Overall results of the investigation:
- 29 arrests (22 in the first operation, 7 in the second)
- 26 tonnes of illegal pesticides seized
- 14 bank accounts frozen
- Criminal assets worth EUR 350 000 frozen
Europol’s experts on environmental crime supported the investigation by providing analytical support and coordinating and facilitating the exchange of information between national authorities.
The investigation revealed a new criminal trend based on the use of coordinated structures and illicit supply chains to distribute unauthorised products, either because they have expired, are unregistered or lack the necessary authorisation.
The suspects used falsified documents to introduce these illegal products into the market, often disguising them as fertilizers or motor oils to avoid detection. They also camouflaged containers of illegal products and used foreign banks for transactions to make their operations more difficult to trace.
The gang was well organised, with each member playing a specific role to ensure the success of their criminal activities. This made the case especially challenging for investigators, as it was difficult to tackle such sophisticated criminal networks hidden behind legitimate businesses.