Civil Guard agents have seized almost 207 kilos of avocados and papayas sold illegally in Tenerife. The seized fruit was being sold illegally, since its owners could not prove its legal origin and traceability.
The action has been carried out by agents belonging to the Nature Protection Service (Seprona), together with the Citizen Security Unit of the Santa Cruz de Tenerife Command (USECIC) and the ROCA Team.
The intervention took place within the framework of the actions that the Civil Guard has been carrying out regularly since the beginning of the avocado collection campaign in agricultural and livestock farms, in which inspection services have been increased in businesses or points of sale. of the different municipalities throughout the province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
These services are aimed at preventing theft of fruits, vegetables, etc. on agricultural and livestock farms, as well as their subsequent illicit sale, thus ensuring the public health of all consumers, as the stolen fruit or vegetables have not passed the mandatory phytosanitary controls.
As a result of the inspections carried out by SEPRONA agents in the different points of sale located in the municipalities of Güímar, San Miguel de Abona, Tacoronte, La Matanza and Los Realejos, 161.5 kg of avocados and 45 kilos of papayas have been seized. of alleged illicit origin.
The owners of the fruit lacked the corresponding documentation to prove the legal origin and traceability of the products offered to the consumer, with the consequent risks that this could entail for health, thus being an illegal sale/marketing.
In accordance with the aforementioned facts, the agents have notified the owners of various complaint reports for violations of Law 6/2019, of April 9, on Agri-Food Quality established in articles 50 and 51 as minor and serious violations due to the lack of fruit. intervened in the corresponding labeling, as well as the documentation that would guarantee the traceability of the product that is being marketed and that protects the health of consumers (health controls).
In article 54.1 of the aforementioned law, the following sanctions are established with respect to the aforementioned infractions: “Minor infractions will be punished with a warning or fine of up to 4,000 euros, serious infractions will be punished with a fine between 4,001 and 150,000 euros, and Very serious violations will be punished with a fine between 150,001 and 3,000,000 euros.
In cases of non-compliance with the economic obligations intended for the financing of the management body, the economic amount of the fines established in the previous section of this paragraph will increase until reaching the value of 30 percent of the amount subject to non-payment.”
