A RING of food suppliers in Spain conned eco-conscious consumers across Europe by exporting regular fruit and vegetables as organic.
The scheme involved taking advantage of the higher prices customers are willing to pay for organic foods and pocketing the difference.
Investigators estimate that the group, operating in Motril, Granada, passed off over two million kilograms of non-organic produce as organic in just six months.
The profits from this lucrative fraud were divided among the ring’s members, including the company owner and several accomplices.
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A Guardia Civil operation, codenamed ‘Obstteller’, revealed that the group had been selling conventional produce, often sourced from unregistered plots, to major European markets.
To pull off the scam, they involved corrupt laboratories to provide false test results and forged documents to support their claims.
As a result of the operation, four individuals have been arrested and 16 others are under investigation.
The charges range from aggravated fraud and document forgery to tax evasion and involvement in organised crime.
The ring was orchestrated by a company owner and a number of frontmen, while other individuals under investigation include operators who supplied non-organic produce from conventional farms.
Several private companies that issued false certificates for these fruits and vegetables are also being scrutinised.
The investigation revealed that certified laboratories were involved in manipulating test results, ensuring that the produce passed as organic by delivering negative pesticide findings.
Further inspections found that the produce was being sourced from farms not registered in Andalusia’s official organic production system.
The operation came to light during a routine inspection by SEPRONA agents, which raised suspicions about potential food fraud involving falsely labelled organic products.
The operation forms part of the broader Opson XI initiative, a Guardia Civil-led effort aimed at combating counterfeit food production and related economic crimes.
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