This Civil Guard operation began in multiple locations across Spain including Carballo in A Coruña, Albacete, Bilbao, Horcajo de los Montes in Ciudad Real, Fuenlabrada in Madrid, Málaga, Tortosa in Tarragona, and Torrent in Valencia. The investigation centered on an alleged treatment center that claimed to manage motor vehicle decontamination and waste processing while also offering products for online sale to a broad audience.
arrested
Four men aged between 28 and 34, all Spanish nationals and residents of Catral, were charged with eight fraud offenses totaling €6,254. Their prior criminal records included similar offenses, and they were brought before the courthouse at Court of Investigation No. 1 in Orihuela for formal proceedings.
pains
The initial signs of the case pointed to the suspects leaving Catral soon after the alleged activities began. The Dolores Police Station Civil Guard section, which led the Petium operation, identified eight victims from across Spain who suffered losses due to the group. The investigations focused on confirming the fraud allegations and tracing the activity that linked the crimes to the defendants.
modus operandi
Investigators found that the authors listed items that never existed through specialized online marketplaces. Prospective buyers who encountered these offers were drawn by attractive prices and then contacted advertisers who appeared to be legitimate market participants and a well established company. After completing electronic payments, the sellers vanished, and the promised items were never delivered to the buyers.
scrapping
According to the Alicante Civil Guard Command, one of the suspects previously worked in a junkyard, a background that allegedly equipped him with the knowhow used to manipulate victims into believing the operations were legitimate and professional.
Legal procedure
The case underscores the standard practice in end of life vehicle management. Vehicles reaching the end of usable life should be deregistered and handed over to an Authorized Vehicle Treatment Center for decontamination and recycling, a process commonly referred to as scrapping. Only centers that meet reuse criteria are authorized to sell salvaged parts. The Civil Guard conducts regular inspections to ensure compliance with these rules.
to buy online
The Civil Guard warns that when buying online it is crucial to retain all data related to the transaction. Buyers should use payment methods that can be recorded and traced, and they should save communications with the seller which can be helpful if a complaint is filed later.