Four people have been arrested in an investigation into the alleged illegal transfer of at least 46,000 tonnes of waste from France to Catalonia, with part of it buried on agricultural land mainly in Sant Esteve Sesrovires, in Baix Llobregat. For residents and landowners in the area, the immediate concern is that investigators say the dumping created a risk to both the environment and people, while the environmental damage is still being assessed.

According to the Guardia Civil, which carried out the operation with Europol and the French Gendarmerie, the investigation began in 2022 after inspections at a waste management plant that was dumping material from contaminated areas linked to major construction works in Barcelona. The operation, named Franger, later uncovered waste entering Catalonia from managers based in France.

Once in Spain, the waste was dumped irregularly and without the mandatory safety measures, generating a risk for the environment and for people.

That account was published by Telecinco, citing the Guardia Civil investigation, and matches Europol's statement on the operation, which said the suspects are believed to have transported tonnes of demolition waste from France to Spain.

Investigation started in 2022 after inspections in Barcelona province

The Guardia Civil says investigators first focused on a waste plant that was carrying out dumping on farmland using material from contaminated zones of large building sites in Barcelona. They then detected incoming loads from France and, according to the investigation, linked them to a criminal organisation based in Barcelona province.

Investigators allege the group used false paperwork to bring waste into Spain labelled as "product" or "soil" in order to avoid international waste transfer controls. Telecinco reported that the alleged fraud also allowed the suspects to avoid Spanish taxes and the higher disposal charges and levy applied in France for this type of waste.

  • Investigation opened in 2022, according to the Guardia Civil account cited by Telecinco.
  • At least 46,000 tonnes of waste from France were brought into Catalonia, investigators say.
  • Part of the waste was buried on farmland mainly in Sant Esteve Sesrovires.
  • Another part was sent to four inert waste landfills and three non-hazardous waste landfills, where materials were allegedly mixed with soil.

The source text attributes the false-labelling claim specifically to municipal and industrial waste from France. Europol's own statement is narrower, saying suspects are believed to have transported demolition waste from France to Spain. Police have not, in the supplied official statement, publicly set out a fuller breakdown of all waste categories involved.

Sant Esteve Sesrovires named as main burial site

The investigation says some of the waste was clandestinely buried on agricultural land in the municipal area of Sant Esteve Sesrovires. That matters locally because the Guardia Civil says the dumping took place without the required environmental protection measures, raising the risk of contamination to land used for farming and to nearby people.

The supplied source text does not quantify the damage already caused, but it states that the environmental harm and the possible fraud involving the waste levy are still pending assessment. No timetable for that assessment is given in the material provided.

Europol said the cross-border operation involved French and Spanish authorities and resulted in four arrests. The Guardia Civil account, reported by Telecinco on 13 July 2026, says the suspects are accused of involvement in a criminal organisation dedicated to environmental fraud and illegal waste trafficking.

For readers in Sant Esteve Sesrovires and the surrounding Baix Llobregat area, the concrete fact confirmed so far is that investigators have identified the municipality as the main location where part of the waste was buried, and that the official assessment of environmental damage is still ongoing.

Primary sources: europol.europa.eu. Reported by Source Text Link, Asun Chamoso, escudodigital.com, nicematin.com, segre.com, policia.es, sudouest.fr, Por María García Arenales Agregar Infobae en Agrega Infobae a tus medios preferidos en Google, europapress.es, 20 minutos, 20M EP, Diari ARA.