A Civil Guard inspector investigated four individuals connected to a Lorquí based waste management company in the Murcia region. The firm faced allegations of fraud and document forgery for handling more than six tonnes of bio-sanitary waste deemed hazardous, originating from numerous sites. The waste was linked to 130 dental and veterinary clinics, as well as tattoo studios across Alicante, Murcia, and Albacete.
The seized material weighed about six tonnes and was immobilized. The company, whose manager was among those under suspicion, did not have the proper administrative authorization to process this type of waste, which included sharp items like syringes and other medical supplies.
The operation, named “fake manager,” was conducted by agents from the Civil Guard’s Nature Conservation Service in Murcia (Seprona). A complaint from a hazardous-waste manager raised concerns about collection and treatment practices.
According to the complaint, a person in charge of a dental clinic requested services from the waste management company and provided evidence to show that their hazardous waste had entered the processing centers. The waste was collected from business premises by a commercial waste transport firm, which had no documented business relationship with the clinic. Consequently, the previous manager could not prepare the required control and monitoring documents (DCS), which allegedly were falsified, leading to financial and credibility losses in the sector.
Cash Payments
The waste-transport company billed for services in cash, preventing waste producers from identifying the individuals who carried out the collections. With the company owned by two people who blamed each other, the responsible party initially could not be identified.
The Civil Guard reported the findings to the police and to the Murcia Regional Environment Directorate. Widespread irregularities in hazardous-waste management led to multiple sanctions for the transport firm over failure to disclose where the waste ended up.
Meanwhile, Seprona continued the investigation and identified one incident during a routine check at a veterinary clinic in Molina de Segura. The hazardous-waste control and monitoring documents suggested that a company tied to the earlier investigation had resumed operations.
Civil guards reviewed documents and found that the supposed last manager did not receive the transport company’s shipments. They could then verify the recipients of payments for the claimed collection and management services for hazardous bio-sanitary waste.
Reports from the Civil Guard indicated that the investigated company began its activities by partnering with centers generating such waste to ensure lawful delivery. A waste-transport firm advertised its services online, and after a collection contract was signed, carriers visited businesses to collect waste. Containers of about five kilograms were filled and later replaced with empties.
Payments for these services were typically made in cash, later moved to a bank account where the named owner held no executive role, only a temporary work contract.
The claim was that the records showing the last manager were falsified, that the waste was not delivered, and that related expenses were not paid. The managers allocated final waste-management quantities, resulting in cumulative, concealed totals.
Accumulation of Hazardous Waste
Seprona investigators located the headquarters of the waste-transport company in Lorquí. There, a secured area was examined, revealing more than 100 items and around 6,000 kilograms of waste from veterinarians, dental clinics, and tattoo centers, which were immobilized under the supervision of the regional environmental authority.
After gathering all relevant evidence, the Civil Guard identified four individuals connected to the company for document forgery and fraud. The group included a manager, an employee, and two waste-collection workers.
Affected Parties
Official dental and veterinary colleges in the Region of Murcia have advised members to file claims as aggrieved parties. The investigation has confirmed about thirty clinics affected, and estimates indicate that the misconduct may involve more than a hundred entities across the Region of Murcia, including neighboring Alicante.