More Than 28 Tonnes Of Out-Of-Date Food Seized Across Spain

Police have confiscated huge quantities of food across Spain, including Almeria, Alicante and Murcia, that was unfit for human consumption.

On Thursday, July 27, the Guardia Civil, gave details of Operation Potacar in which they collaborated with the veterinary services of the Provincial Health Department of the Government of Aragon, Valencia and Andalucia, resulting in the seizure of more than 28 tonnes of foodstuffs.

The food was discovered in distribution warehouses located in the provinces of Zaragoza, Valencia and Almería. During the operation, eight people were arrested and 81 others are being investigated for alleged offences of fraud, public health, falsification of documents and belonging to a criminal group.

The first inspection took place at the premises of a company located in Cuarte de Huerva in Zaragoza. Investigators seized 1,222 kilos of foodstuffs that were irregular because they had been relabelled with an extension of the best-before date. After analysing traceability, the investigators confirmed that various batches had been sold to other establishments with dates that had been exceeded.

In a second inspection of another company in Zaragoza, the Guardia Civil seized 1,708 kilos of products. Investigators again found evidence of expired consumption dates, as well as food that should have been marketed as fresh produce, but which was frozen before its expiry date and subsequently put on sale with the date exceeded.

In addition to this company, 19 other establishments were inspected in the towns of Calatayud, Alagón, La Puebla de Alfindén, Cuarte de Huerva and the neighbourhoods of Monzalbarba and Santa Isabel, where SEPRONA (Nature Protection Service, a division of the Guardia Civil) found irregularities.

Another inspection took the investigators to the Valencian town of Xirivella and, together with inspectors from the Health Department of the Valencian Community, discovered a company that was selling products with expired expiry dates and irregularities in the labelling, pending sale.

In addition, in this third phase which took place over a period of months, numerous establishments were inspected including Zaragoza; Valencia; Elda, Alicante; Huercal and Huercal Overa, Almería; Puerto Lumbreras, Cartagena and Mazarrón, Murcia. In total, the officers seized 18,196 kilos of products unfit for human consumption.

During the last phase, SEPRONA and inspectors from the Health Department of the DGA carried out another 45 inspections and seized another 6,993 kilos of irregular products. Most of the food was located in a company in Zaragoza that supplied meat products to other establishments.