Law enforcement from France and Spain, supported by Europol, have arrested 29 members of a criminal organisation for selling illegal plant protection products.
The investigation revealed that the gang had sold 25 tonnes of these products, mainly in France. Investigators estimate that the suspects earned more than €5 million from their illicit activities.
The members of the gang were involved in environmental crime, money laundering and document fraud.
They exploited business structures and coordinated a supply chain for illegal plant protection products based in Italy, Portugal and Spain since 2020.
The investigation was led by Spain (Guardia Civil).
Given the complexity of the criminal network, the police operation was carried out in two phases: the first between June 2024 and January 2025 with the support of French authorities and the second between June 2024 and January 2025 with the support of Italian authorities.
The overall results of the investigation include 29 arrests (22 in the first operation, 7 in the second), 26 tonnes of illegal pesticides seized, 14 bank accounts frozen and criminal assets worth €350,000 frozen
More than 85% of criminal organisations exploit legal businesses to transport illicit goods, expand their influence and, as in this case, launder the proceeds of crime.
This problem is widespread across all EU member states and other global regions.
Europol is addressing this threat by bringing together law enforcement, regulatory bodies, the private sector and international allies to provide an integrated approach and reactive measures, targeting high-value targets through operational task forces.
