Three Arrested Over Illegal Online Sale of 22,000 Litres of Restricted Herbicide

Three men have been arrested in Alicante province over the alleged illegal online sale of more than 22,000 litres of a highly toxic herbicide restricted to professional users.

The Guardia Civil said the product was supplied to customers across Spain and elsewhere in Europe, particularly France, despite many buyers lacking the authorisation or training required to handle it safely.

The investigation, codenamed Operation Kills Grass, resulted in the arrest of three men aged 31, 59 and 68. They are suspected of offences against public health, natural resources and the environment, as well as industrial property violations, creating a risk of catastrophe and belonging to a criminal organisation.

The inquiry began after the Valencian Government’s Plant Health Service inspected a company in the area and discovered unusually large herbicide sales to a single customer.

Because of its toxicity to humans, aquatic life and the wider environment, the product is subject to strict traceability controls imposed by Spain’s Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. Anyone purchasing, storing or applying it must hold the relevant professional qualifications.

Investigators established that the principal suspect was authorised to use the herbicide but not to resell it. He allegedly bought the product regularly through apparently legitimate transactions before placing it on the online market, breaking the official traceability chain.

The herbicide was advertised through online marketplaces and a website created specifically for the business. Officers warned that supplying such chemicals to untrained and unauthorised customers significantly increases the risks to public health, animal welfare and the environment.

The Guardia Civil carried out two searches in La Nucía: one at the principal suspect’s home and another at the supplier’s business premises. Specialist dog handlers assisted with the operation.

Officers reportedly found 33 one-litre containers of herbicide at the property, together with boxes, labels and packaging material prepared for shipments. The chemical was being stored in a home without the safety measures required for hazardous products. A child was also living at the address.

Three bank accounts linked to the principal suspect were frozen after investigators found that approximately €800,000 had passed through them in just over two years. Three luxury cars and a motorcycle were also seized.

During the search of the supplier’s premises, officers obtained accounting records relating to the herbicide sales. Toxicology assessments were conducted by the Guardia Civil’s Central Environmental Operations Unit.

The two company directors were arrested as suspected essential collaborators and later released after giving statements. The alleged principal operator was brought before the investigating section of the Villajoyosa Court of First Instance and released subject to precautionary measures.

The Guardia Civil reminded the public that professional plant-protection products are subject to strict registration and traceability requirements. Suspected illegal sales can be reported at any Guardia Civil station, by calling 062, through the AlertCops application or via the force’s online public-reporting form.

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