Largest Environmental Crime Operation in Canaries History
The Guardia Civil and Spain's Customs Surveillance Service (Agencia Tributaria) have dismantled a criminal network responsible for illegally exporting up to 650 tonnes of hazardous waste in shipping containers from the port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife to multiple African countries. The operation, announced on 17 March 2026, targets 32 suspects and four companies based in Tenerife, Gran Canaria and Mallorca.
Gran Canaria Ringleaders Ran the Logistics
The network was led by five individuals with clearly defined roles. Two of the principal operatives were based in Gran Canaria, handling all documentation and logistics for the illegal exports. Three others in Tenerife organised the direct shipment of waste and obtained the necessary paperwork – whether legitimate, irregular or forged.
To make the goods appear properly decontaminated, the organisation used multiple shell companies that issued invoices in the names of third parties. In some cases, these individuals were entirely unaware their identities were being exploited.
What Was Shipped?
The exported materials consisted primarily of waste electrical and electronic equipment, particularly motors and compressors extracted from refrigerators without proper decontamination. This allowed hazardous refrigerant gases to escape uncontrolled into the atmosphere – a serious risk to human health and the environment. Additionally, untreated car parts, approximately 38 tonnes of fire extinguishers, and whole vehicles with falsified documentation were declared as "second-hand goods" and shipped to Africa.
The Trail Began in La Palma
The investigation was initiated by Seprona (the Guardia Civil's nature protection service) in La Palma and customs officers in Santa Cruz de Tenerife after a suspiciously consistent flow of container shipments to Africa was detected. The trade documentation accompanying the shipments proved, on closer inspection, to be a cover for the true nature of the cargo.
Legal Consequences and International Dimension
Illegal transport of hazardous waste has been a criminal offence under Spain's penal code since 2015, carrying penalties of three months to one year in prison or fines of six to eighteen months, plus professional disqualification. The case also touches on the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes, which prohibits such practices internationally.
Investigations are ongoing. Authorities are examining whether additional individuals and companies were involved in the network.
What This Means for Gran Canaria
Although the physical shipments were routed through Tenerife's port, two of the five ringleaders operated from Gran Canaria. The case raises questions about cargo control within the Canary Islands archipelago and demonstrates that the neighbouring island can be entangled in international environmental crime. For the receiving countries in Africa, the uncontrolled waste represents a potential health disaster – a dark side of the trade routes connecting the Canaries with the African continent.
CITA News is following further developments in this case. More information is available on the Spanish Interior Ministry website (Ministerio Interior).