Welcome   Sponsored By
Subscribe | Register | Advertise | Newsletter | About us | Contact us
   


Photo: Stockfile/FIS

Corrupt Spanish lawyer arrested for EUR 4.5 million fishery project bribe in Equatorial Guinea

EUROPEAN UNION
Monday, August 12, 2024, 03:00 (GMT + 9)

 Europol supports Spanish National Police investigation resulting in seizure of real estate and bank accounts worth over EUR 6.5 million

 The Spanish National Police (Policía Nacional) have arrested a lawyer suspected of corrupting high-level officials close to the Equatorial Guinea government. Europol supported this investigation, which uncovered that the suspect had transferred around EUR 4.5 million via his project development company. Allegedly, the aim was to obtain an agreement to build a factory catering to the African country’s fishing sector.

Law enforcement conducted two house searches on the action day, which took place in Asturias (Spain) on 2 July 2024 and led to the lawyer’s arrest. Five pieces of real estate valued EUR 4.5 million were seized, along with EUR 30 000 in cash and 21 bank accounts containing over EUR 2 million.

A suspiciously dormant project

The suspect’s company, which was registered in Spain, had reported hardly any commercial activity since its establishment. It had never developed any project, neither in Spain nor in any other country. However, between 2020 and 2022 the company reported two income streams for a total amount of over EUR 4.5 million. Further investigation showed that individuals close to the Equatorial Guinea government were among the beneficiaries of these sums.

These payments were related to a contract signed in 2019 between the government of the African country and the Spanish company in order to start up a fishery products processing plant. Originally, the project was supposed to be completed within two years of the signing. The lawyer and owner of the company is now charged with corruption, money laundering, falsification of accounts and forgery of documents.

Europol’s role

Using SIENA (Secure Information Exchange Network Application), Spanish authorities shared their first insights with Europol, who then provided analytical support. On the action day, two Europol analysts supported the searches in Spain with a Virtual Command Post that had been set up in Europol’s headquarters in The Hague. Offering real-time operational support, the experts cross-checked the results of the house searches in Spain against Europol’s databases, thus providing further leads to the officers on the spot.

Corruption is an insidious and often invisible threat, eroding the rule of law, weakening state institutions, and hindering economic development by distorting fair competition. You can read more about how Europol supports the fight against corruption in the European Financial and Economic Crime Threat Assessment 2023.

At the close of this publication, the names of those involved or the companies have not been given since more arrests are expected in an operation that Europol kept secret.

editorial@seafood.media
www.seafood.media


 Print


Click to know how to advertise in FIS
MORE NEWS
Republic of Ireland
Feb 18, 10:00 (GMT + 9):
German Super Trawler Detained for Suspected Fisheries Infringements Arrives in Cork
Argentina
Feb 18, 09:00 (GMT + 9):
Santa Cruz Increases Fish Landings: Puerto Deseado Leads with 17,208 Tons of Catch
Mexico
Feb 18, 03:10 (GMT + 9):
Shrimp Season in the Pacific: Indefinite Closure and Expectations in Mazatlán
European Union
Feb 18, 02:00 (GMT + 9):
IN BRIEF - LIFE OASIS: The Initiative That Will Revolutionize the Fight Against Ghost Fishing and Protect Sea Turtles in the Mediterranean
Viet Nam
Feb 18, 02:00 (GMT + 9):
Chinese Market: Decline in Whiteleg Shrimp Consumption, Surge in Lobster Demand
Spain
Feb 18, 01:00 (GMT + 9):
IN BRIEF - Zunibal names Patricia Ordóñez as Director of Science and Sustainability
Russian Federation
Feb 18, 00:20 (GMT + 9):
IN BRIEF - Russian Consumers Shift Preferences: Fish Replacing Traditional Deli Items
France
Feb 18, 00:10 (GMT + 9):
IN BRIEF - Maison Reynaud Introduces Cryogenized Blue Lobster to Culinary Market
Ecuador
Feb 18, 00:10 (GMT + 9):
Ecuador Begins Exporting Canned Tuna to China
China
Feb 18, 00:10 (GMT + 9):
Comments on China's Ocean-going Squid Price Index – January 2025
Norway
Feb 18, 00:10 (GMT + 9):
The Norwegian Pelagic Fishing Course in Week 7
Republic of Ireland
Feb 18, 00:00 (GMT + 9):
Other Media | EuropaAzul: Ireland faces tuna tagging scheme
Spain
Feb 18, 00:00 (GMT + 9):
Other Media | iPac.acuicultura: Researchers from the University of Granada create an intelligent sensor to detect the freshness of packaged fish
Norway
Feb 18, 00:00 (GMT + 9):
Other Media | Fish Farmer: SalMar leaves gloom behind with NOK 1.9bn investment plan
China
Feb 18, 00:00 (GMT + 9):
Other Media | SeafoodSource: China using clout at FAO to influence international endangered species designations



Lenguaje
FEATURED EVENTS
  
TOP STORIES
Seafood Industry Supports Proposed Fisheries Rule Changes
New Zealand Seafood New Zealand has expressed strong support for proposed changes to commercial fishing regulations, citing benefits for consumers, common sense, and sustainability. The proposals, released by th...
Illex Squid Season Resumes Strong Pace After South Atlantic Storm
Argentina Following several days of inactivity due to a severe storm affecting the Argentine coastline from Mar del Plata to the Falkland Islands, the jigging fleet has resumed fishing operations for Illex arge...
Russian Surimi Production Set for Expansion
Russia Fed. Russia's surimi production, a key ingredient in products like imitation crab meat, is projected to reach 85,000 tons in 2025, up from 70,800 tons in 2024, according to the All-Russia Association o...
Labor Exploitation on SPRFMO-Registered Vessels Raises Concerns
Chile The International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) has been actively supporting workers in the industrial fishing sector, particularly those on distant-water fishing fleets, as part of its Decent W...
 

Maruha Nichiro Corporation
Nichirei Corporation - Headquarters
Pesquera El Golfo S.A.
Ventisqueros - Productos del Mar Ventisqueros S.A
Wärtsilä Corporation - Wartsila Group Headquarters
ITOCHU Corporation - Headquarters
BAADER - Nordischer Maschinenbau Rud. Baader GmbH+Co.KG (Head Office)
Inmarsat plc - Global Headquarters
Marks & Spencer
Tesco PLC (Supermarket) - Headquarters
Sea Harvest Corporation (PTY) Ltd. - Group Headquarters
I&J - Irvin & Johnson Holding Company (Pty) Ltd.
AquaChile S.A. - Group Headquarters
Pesquera San Jose S.A.
Nutreco N.V. - Head Office
CNFC China National Fisheries Corporation - Group Headquarters
W. van der Zwan & Zn. B.V.
SMMI - Sunderland Marine Mutual Insurance Co., Ltd. - Headquarters
Icicle Seafoods, Inc
Starkist Seafood Co. - Headquearters
Trident Seafoods Corp.
American Seafoods Group LLC - Head Office
Marel - Group Headquarters
SalMar ASA - Group Headquarters
Sajo Industries Co., Ltd
Hansung Enterprise Co.,Ltd.
BIM - Irish Sea Fisheries Board (An Bord Iascaigh Mhara)
CEFAS - Centre for Environment, Fisheries & Aquaculture Science
COPEINCA ASA - Corporacion Pesquera Inca S.A.C.
Chun Cheng Fishery Enterprise Pte Ltd.
VASEP - Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters & Producers
Gomes da Costa
Furuno Electric Co., Ltd. (Headquarters)
NISSUI - Nippon Suisan Kaisha, Ltd. - Group Headquarters
FAO - Food and Agriculture Organization - Fisheries and Aquaculture Department (Headquarter)
Hagoromo Foods Co., Ltd.
Koden Electronics Co., Ltd. (Headquarters)
A.P. Møller - Maersk A/S - Headquarters
BVQI - Bureau Veritas Quality International (Head Office)
UPS - United Parcel Service, Inc. - Headquarters
Brim ehf (formerly HB Grandi Ltd) - Headquarters
Hamburg Süd Group - (Headquearters)
Armadora Pereira S.A. - Grupo Pereira Headquarters
Costa Meeresspezialitäten GmbH & Co. KG
NOAA - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Headquarters)
Mowi ASA (formerly Marine Harvest ASA) - Headquarters
Marubeni Europe Plc -UK-
Findus Ltd
Icom Inc. (Headquarter)
WWF Centroamerica
Oceana Group Limited
The David and Lucile Packard Foundation
Ajinomoto Co., Inc. - Headquarters
Friosur S.A. - Headquarters
Cargill, Incorporated - Global Headquarters
Benihana Inc.
Leardini Pescados Ltda
CJ Corporation  - Group Headquarters
Greenpeace International - The Netherlands | Headquarters
David Suzuki Foundation
Fisheries and Oceans Canada -Communications Branch-
Mitsui & Co.,Ltd - Headquarters
NOREBO Group (former Ocean Trawlers Group)
Natori Co., Ltd.
Carrefour Supermarket - Headquarters
FedEx Corporation - Headquarters
Cooke Inc. - Group Headquarters
AKBM - Aker BioMarine ASA
Seafood Choices Alliance -Headquarter-
Austevoll Seafood ASA
Walmart | Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (Supermarket) - Headquarters
New Japan Radio Co.Ltd (JRC) -Head Office-
Gulfstream JSC
Marine Stewardship Council - MSC Worldwide Headquarters
Royal Dutch Shell plc (Headquarter)
Genki Sushi Co.,Ltd -Headquarter-
Iceland Pelagic ehf
AXA Assistance Argentina S.A.
Caterpillar Inc. - Headquarters
Tiger Brands Limited
SeaChoice
National Geographic Society
AmazonFresh, LLC - AmazonFresh

Copyright 1995 - 2025 Seafood Media Group Ltd.| All Rights Reserved.   DISCLAIMER