Fruit mafia in Spain sold fake organic products across Europe for at least six months

A RING of food suppliers in Spain have been ripping off environmentally conscious consumers across Europe by exporting ordinary fruit and vegetables as organic.

The plan involved consumers taking advantage of the higher prices they were willing to pay for organic food and pocketing the difference.

Researchers estimate that the group, which operates in Motril, Granada, has sold more than two million kilos of non-organic products as organic in just six months.

The profits from this lucrative fraud were divided among the gang’s members, including the company owner and several accomplices.

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A Guardia Civil operation codenamed ‘Obstteller’ found that the group was selling conventional produce, often from unregistered plots, to major European markets.

To carry out the scam, they employed corrupt labs to provide false test results and forged documents to support their claims.

As a result of the operation, four people have been arrested and 16 others are being investigated.

The charges range from aggravated fraud and document forgery to tax evasion and participation in organized crime.

The gang was set up by a business owner and a number of front men. Other individuals under investigation include operators who supplied non-organic produce from conventional farms.

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Several private companies that issued false certificates for these fruits and vegetables are also being investigated.

The investigation found that certified laboratories were involved in manipulating test results. They wanted to ensure that the products were considered organic by providing negative findings about the use of pesticides.

Further inspections revealed that the products came from farms not registered in Andalusia’s official organic production system.

The operation came to light during a routine check by SEPRONA agents, which raised suspicions of possible food fraud involving falsely labelled organic products.

The operation is part of the wider Opson XI initiative, a Guardia Civil-led initiative aimed at combating counterfeit food production and related economic crimes.