Spanish prosecutors are seeking to bring two Moroccan nationals to trial over allegations that they illegally shipped nearly 1,800 tons of textile waste from Morocco to southern Spain through the Port of Algeciras.
The case, described by prosecutors as one of the largest illegal waste-trafficking operations uncovered in the region, involves 85 shipments of discarded clothing and textile scraps sent to Spain between late 2022 and mid-2023.
According to prosecutors in Algeciras, the two men used two companies to transport about 1,801 tons of textile waste from Morocco and store it in industrial warehouses in San Roque, near the Strait of Gibraltar.
Authorities allege that neither the companies nor the storage sites had the environmental permits required under Spanish law.
Investigators say the waste entered Spain through the Port of Algeciras and was stored in warehouses not authorized to handle such materials. The companies were also not registered in Andalusia’s waste management system, prosecutors said.
The prosecution alleges that the men failed to submit mandatory documentation required for cross-border shipments of textile waste under European regulations and international rules linked to the Basel Convention, which governs the movement of waste between countries.
One of the defendants allegedly served as the sole administrator of both companies involved in the operation, while the second worked as a senior manager at one of the firms.
Spanish prosecutors are seeking prison sentences of 18 months for both men, along with temporary bans on working in the waste management sector.
The two companies also face fines and possible restrictions on future business activities related to waste handling.
The investigation began after environmental inspectors discovered large quantities of textile waste stored in a warehouse in San Roque. Spain’s environmental enforcement unit, SEPRONA, launched an inquiry that later led prosecutors to file charges.
Investigators believe some operators seek to avoid the cost of legally disposing of industrial textile scraps by exporting them abroad, where reusable clothing can be sold while the remaining waste is improperly stored or discarded.
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