By Andrew Atkinson
Concerns about the increasing thefts of avocados by professional criminals in and around the Marina Baixa has been raised by La Uniò de Llauradors i Ramaders to the Government Delegation.
The Civil Guard are active in crimes committed on agricultural and agricultural holdings, with the ROCA special investigation department, along with the Alicante Civil Guard.
One case involved the Civil Guard dismantling a criminal gang after 3 tons of avocados stolen in the Marina Baixa, being sold in Altea.
A number of people were arrested for their involvement, along with other crimes of theft.
Calpe ROCA teams have also undertaken operations to combat thefts of avacados from Alicante farmers.
Thefts in Marina Baixa include Callosa d´en Sarriá, Polop, L´Alfás del Pi, La Nucia and Altea, where 3 tons of avocados, with a market value of 12,000 euros were stolen.
Agents of ROCA of the Civil Guard of Calpe have carried out inspections with agricultural co-operatives and undertaken interviews with farmers who notified the huge thefts of avocados that lead to the Acates operation being formed, leading to arrests being made in Benidorm, including that of a murderer and international drug trafficker not involved in avocado thefts.
In Callosa de Ensarriá, multiple avocado thefts occurred with four offences on the same farm.
The Calpe ROCA Team, in collaboration with the National Police and Benidorm Local Police, recovered 300 kilograms of avocados with arrests made and the owner of a restaurant investigated involving stolen avocados.
The Lambxir operation, developed by the Roca de Calpe Team in 2020, uncovered the theft of more than 3 tons of avocados, valued at more than 12,000 euros, in the towns of Callosa d´ in Sarriá and Polop.
