Legal Proceedings Against Waste Importers in Spain
Spanish judicial authorities are gearing up to initiate legal proceedings against two individuals and two companies accused of illegally importing an alarming quantity of approximately 1,800 tonnes of waste and used textiles from Morocco into the Campo de Gibraltar region via the port of Algeciras. This action comes after revelations from Spanish media detailing the absence of necessary environmental and administrative permits for such operations.
The indictment, meticulously prepared by the public prosecutor’s office in Algeciras, identifies the primary defendant as the sole director of one of the implicated companies. This individual is alleged to have managed a staggering 44 shipments of textile waste from Morocco to Spain between late 2022 and mid-2023, amounting to a total of 911.8 tonnes. Notably, this individual is believed to have been aided by a second defendant, who held the position of deputy director within the same company.
Further complicating matters, prosecutors assert that the primary defendant utilized a second company under his control to facilitate an additional 41 shipments, which involved 889.6 tonnes of textile waste. Cumulatively, the case encompasses 85 shipments with an overall weight of 1,801.4 tonnes of clothing and fabric remnants that were unlawfully brought into Spain and stored without the requisite authorization.
Upon investigation, authorities discovered that these materials were improperly stored in two industrial warehouses located in the San Roque area, which failed to comply with the legal standards required for the handling of such waste. Moreover, both companies involved were found to be unregistered in Andalusia’s waste information system and did not possess the necessary permits mandated by Spanish law. The prosecutors have asserted that these shipments constitute a clear violation of European regulations that govern the cross-border movement of waste.
In response to these serious violations, the public prosecutor’s office is advocating for prison sentences of one and a half years for each of the defendants. Additionally, they are calling for a ban on any waste-management activities for the same duration, alongside financial penalties levied against the two companies and a two-year prohibition on any waste management-related operations. The investigation was triggered following the discovery of significant quantities of textile waste stashed inside an unlicensed warehouse in San Roque, subsequently leading to the case being escalated to the criminal courts in Algeciras.
As reported by en.yabiladi.com.
