The Civil Guard ends the MIZU II operation with 133 people arrested and investigated for the extraction of water through the use of more than 1,533 illegal infrastructures
SEPRONA has carried out a total of 1,512 inspections throughout Spain, with the fundamental mission of locating wells, boreholes and ponds for the accumulation of illegal water.
It has had the close collaboration of the different Basin organizations and the Hydrographic Confederations
The use of new technologies has been essential to define the areas of action
The Civil Guard, within the framework of Operation MIZU II, carried out an inspection campaign throughout the past year, in which it detected the commission of 98 criminal offenses, most of them against Natural Resources and the Environment, proceeding to the arrest and investigation of 133 people. Other crimes such as Distraction and Water Fraud, Territorial Planning and even Against the Public Administration are also highlighted.
Surveillance and control of the adequate management of water resources, mainly aquifers, has made it possible to detect up to 2,326 administrative infractions.
Among the most common illegal water collection techniques, SEPRONA agents have detected drilling of wells and surveys lacking authorizations, illegal pools of water accumulation, also direct collection of riverbeds and streams and flowmeters (volumetric water meters) that are not approved. , manipulated or simply not operational.
Most facilities lacked security measures, which represents a danger to the life or physical integrity of people or animals, especially when the structures are abandoned after such illegal use.
The information collected has made it possible to create a record with the locations of illegal constructions for their control and monitoring through the use of georeferencing techniques; Of the total structures, 74% correspond to wells and boreholes.
A large part of the operation has been carried out in particularly sensitive and vulnerable areas, such as the Doñana National Park and the basins of the main rivers in Spain.
Featured Performances
Operation Aquae (Huelva)
10 alleged crimes against the environment have been clarified for the illegal diversion of water with damage to the ecosystems of the Doñana National Park. 14 people and 12 companies are investigated. The investigation is still open.
Operation Acuin (Basin)
2 individuals and 2 companies have been investigated for the alleged commission of a crime against natural resources and the environment and another for fluid (water) fraud, for carrying out groundwater abstractions lacking the mandatory authorization of the Basin Agency, through the installation of illegal wells and the use of manipulated flow meters to falsify the reading of the accounting of the water extracted illegally.
The aquifer from which said water abstraction was being carried out was declared overexploited.
Operation Trincase (Valladolid)
Thanks to the close collaboration of the Duero Hydrographic Confederation, an agent of the Confederation's River Guard has been investigated as the alleged perpetrator of crimes of bribery, negotiations and prohibited activities of public officials and false documents. The investigated, taking advantage of the official position he held, offered himself to farmers for documentation processing, charging in cash and without issuing an invoice.
Crimes against natural resources and the environment
The current situation of water resources in the Mediterranean environment and in Spain in particular, goes through different situations depending on the territory and the time of year in which the focus is placed. The overexploitation of some aquifers based on multiple interests, mainly economic, constitutes a serious threat to our environment and especially against this essential resource for life.
The perpetrators of this type of act would be facing prison sentences of six months to two years, a fine of ten to fourteen months and special barring from profession or trade for a term of one to two years. In case of finding ourselves in the most aggravated case, they could face a prison sentence of up to five years in prison.
Collaborations
This operation has been carried out with the close collaboration of the General Directorate for Water (Ministry for Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge), as well as with the various Basin Organizations in Spain.
Mizu II is part of the operational actions aimed at combating the destruction or modification of the habitat of protected species within the LIFE GUARDIANES DE LA NATURALEZA project.
For more information, you can contact the SEPRONA Press Office at 608.251.069.
