Naples - A large-scale operation conducted by the Carabinieri of the Ecological Operations Unit (NOE) of Naples intercepted and blocked a large shipment of waste illegally destined for Turkey.
The raid, which concluded late in the evening, led to the arrest of a 32-year-old man and the seizure of over 370 tons of materials, passed off as "raw materials" but in fact loaded with hazardous waste and solid urban waste.
The phantom cargo: toxic waste disguised as scrap metal
The inspection began at a port terminal as part of checks on cross-border shipments. The NOE officers, suspicious of a shipment of ferrous scrap produced by a company in Caivano (Naples) and destined for a steel mill in Izmir, Turkey, initiated a thorough investigation with the technical support of the Campania Regional Environmental Protection Agency (ARPA).
Analysis of the cargo revealed a blatant environmental fraud attempt. The scrap was falsely labeled as MPS (Secondary Raw Material), the result of a nonexistent recovery process. In reality, the material was a mixture of hazardous waste destined for illegal disposal abroad. Concealed among the scrap were a wide variety of materials: municipal solid waste and wood, hazardous waste such as used oil filters and battery parts, unremediated vehicle components (circuit boards, mechanical parts), tires, electrical cables, and packaging containing oil and grease residues.
Massive seizure and first arrest under the "Aggravated" decree
The inspection was immediately extended to the company's Caivano plant, confirming the investigators' suspicions.
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At the end of the operation, the Carabinieri arrested the company's legal representative, a 32-year-old man from San Giuseppe Vesuviano. He is being held responsible for illegally shipping hazardous waste, a crime for which penalties have been increased following recent regulatory changes.
This is the first arrest in Italy for the new crime of illegal waste shipment (pursuant to Articles 259 and 259 bis of Legislative Decree no. 152/2006, as amended by Legislative Decree 116/2025 of 08.08.2025).
At the same time, the four vehicles used to transport the 120 tons initially seized were also seized. The arrest was validated by the investigating judge of the Court of Naples North, who nevertheless released the suspect, as he had no prior criminal record.
The NOE operation marks a milestone in the implementation of new environmental measures and underscores the authorities' focus on the lucrative and damaging business of illegal cross-border waste disposal.
Comments (1)
This article is interesting, but I find it too wordy and difficult to understand. The waste issue is a very serious one and deserves a clearer explanation for the uninitiated. However, it's important to pay attention to this topic.