The Civil Guard has developed Operation Litterbug following an investigation into alleged fraud in the management of hazardous waste in the Region of Murcia. The inquiry has been opened after a construction company complained that a Madrid‑based waste removal firm provided a certificate that appeared false. The firm’s manager has been placed under investigation as the suspected author of fraud, document falsification and offences against natural resources and the environment.

The case began last summer when the construction company hired the firm to remove asbestos‑containing fibre cement panels from a site in Murcia. The firm removed the material and issued an invoice that was paid, but the contractor requested proof of correct final management and raised doubts about the paperwork. Specialists from the Civil Guard’s Service for the Protection of Nature (SEPRONA) checked the firm and concluded the asbestos waste had not been handed over for proper disposal and that the certificate was fake.

Investigators have identified two further irregular cases linked to the same company, bringing the known total to three. They say the alleged modus operandi is to advertise dismantling and recycling services without the required permits or work plans, carry out removals, issue false management documents, take payment and then abandon legal obligations, preventing clients from recovering financial guarantees. SEPRONA officers continue the operation to clarify all facts and to determine criminal and administrative responsibility.