The investigation, carried out by the Guardia Civil in conjunction with Italy’s carabinieri and Europol, led to raids in both countries and the searching of olive-processing cooperatives in the Spanish provinces of Ciudad Real, Jaén and Córdoba.
Suspicions were first raised when Guardia Civil officers discovered “a series of anomalies” while inspecting a lorry that was transporting olive oil in Ciudad Real region.
They soon uncovered a two-pronged operation in Spain and Italy that was designed to distribute adulterated olive oil on the global market.
News of the seizure came amid continuing high olive oil prices as drought and other adverse weather conditions affect European harvests for a second successive year.
Spanish production has been hit by drought and heatwaves of more than 40C, while the crisis has been exacerbated by extreme weather in other olive-producing countries such as Greece, Italy, Portugal, Turkey and Morocco.
Extra virgin olive oil is not the only Spanish culinary staple to fall victim to criminal gangs in recent years.
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