CÁCERES, March 11. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Agents of the Civil Guard, belonging to the ROCA Team of Valencia de Alcántara (Cáceres), have dismantled an illegal distribution network of olive oil, allegedly fraudulent, after an “exhaustive investigation” that began on March 7 following a complaint presented in this location.
The events began with the alert of a citizen after the purchase of several bottles of supposed olive oil, whose doubts about the authenticity of the product led her to contact the Civil Guard, upon discovering that the purchased oil emitted an industrial oil smell and It became transparent when heated, which raised his suspicions about its origin.
The ROCA Team thus began an investigation to identify the sellers and preventively stop the sale and consumption of this oil. To do this, they tracked social networks, contacted local oil mills and interviewed witnesses, also obtaining “valuable information” from the Health Services of Cáceres and Badajoz.
The first investigations carried out revealed that the bottles, purchased in a market in Portugal, had been introduced into Spain without adequate health controls and in packaging inappropriate for human consumption, the Civil Guard reported in a press release.
The alleged perpetrators bought the oil bottles in Portugal at a low price, removing the original labeling, which they replaced with counterfeit labels from a well-known oil mill located in the Valencia de Alcántara region.
After that, they sold the product at a price significantly lower than the legitimate market, but well above the price they had paid for the bottles.
The agents managed to locate most of the oil sold, most of it in the Badajoz town of San Vicente de Alcántara and, with the collaboration of personnel from the Pharmacy Office attached to the Extremadura Health Service (SES), they were confiscated preventive.
Finally, with all the information obtained during the investigation, the agents identified and arrested two individuals involved in the alleged illegal distribution of the oil.
In total, 173 jugs of oil have been seized, containing a total of 865 liters, which the detainees sold to individuals, through advertisements on social networks, at a price of 32 euros per unit.
The Civil Guard has carried out police proceedings against those arrested for the alleged crimes of fraud, against industrial property and against public health, which have been sent to the Court of First Instance and Investigation, acting as Guard, of Valencia de Alcántara.
The seized bottles are deposited in the Valencia Civil Guard barracks in Alcántara, awaiting the decision of the competent authorities.
The Civil Guard has advised for a safe purchase of oil to verify the labels and quality seals. Thus, when purchasing oil, the consumer must ensure that the quality labels and seals are present and legitimate, as this guarantees that the product has gone through the appropriate controls.
Preferably, the consumer should purchase this product in trusted establishments such as supermarkets, specialized stores or directly from certified oil mills.
Additionally, the oil container should be examined to ensure that there are no signs of tampering or adulteration, such as poorly affixed labels or damaged bottles.
The Civil Guard has also pointed out that extremely low prices can be indicative of low quality oil or even fraudulent and has pointed out that the consumer should investigate the origin and reputation of the brand before purchasing oil. “Feedback from other consumers and online reviews can be helpful in making an informed decision,” she said.
Likewise, if there are doubts about the authenticity or quality of the oil purchased, the consumer should not hesitate to contact the competent authorities, such as the Civil Guard or local health services, to obtain advice and report any irregularities.
