MADRID, March 11 (Reuters) – More than 330 people have been arrested across 70 countries in a crackdown on organised crime networks accused of trafficking illicit waste within Europe and exporting it to Africa, Asia and Latin America, Europol said on Wednesday.
Authorities seized 127,149 metric tons of waste, 602 tons of polluting agents along with 75 tons of plant protection chemicals, 2.3 tons of mercury and nearly 10 million euros ($11.6 million) in cash and bank accounts.
The seized waste could have generated illicit profits of at least 31 million euros, officials said.
Illegal waste trafficking has become a global problem, operating through parallel criminal circuits, Spain’s Guardia Civil, which co‑led the operation, said.
“These criminal networks not only fraudulently manage urban and industrial waste, but also systematically resort to document forgery and fraud to move hazardous materials, causing negative environmental impacts and risks to public health,” it said.
Last year, Spanish police said they had arrested a gang suspected of smuggling more than 40,000 tons a year of untreated urban waste from Italy to Spain.
($1 = 0.8627 euros)
(Reporting by Emma Pinedo; editing by Charlie Devereux and Alex Richardson)
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