21 more farming concerns under investigation for illegal practices in the Campo de Cartagena

Investigations continue into the runoff of harmful substances into the Mar Menor

As the efforts to put an end to unauthorized irrigation farming and other illegal agricultural practices in the Campo de Cartagena gather momentum, the aim being to protect the Mar Menor from the runoff of harmful substances which is largely responsible for the drastic deterioration in the marine environment, Judge Ángel Garrote, who is investigating the irregularities, has placed another 21 concerns under investigation, bringing the total up to close to 100.

The Seprona wildlife protection wing of the Guardia Civil has been instructed to compile detailed reports on each of the individuals and companies identified and to take statements from them, as was the case with numerous others after a massive “raid” by Seprona on 1^st April. That operation resulted in 67 agricultural concerns being inspected and in the localization of 38 unauthorized water treatment facilities and 35 unauthorized boreholes to extract water from the aquifer beneath the Campo de Cartagena

This unprecedented raid on farming concerns was sparked by the analysis of documents seized early in 2018 from the company Insal SL, which had supplied desalination units to agricultural businesses in the area along with chemical substances, filters and membranes in order to make it possible to treat the brackish water extracted and make it suitable for irrigation. From these documents the Guardia Civil have been able to calculate the approximate amount of water treated in each case, reaching a figure of 15.2 million cubic metres: if this is correct, the implication is that the waste product from the process consisted of 3.8 million cubic metres of contaminated water which, after returning to the aquifer, will have made its way into the Mar Menor.

That equates to 3,800,000,000,000 litres of water containing harmful substances.

Those who were placed under investigation immediately have been called on to appear before Judge Garrote during November, many of them having opted to remain silent when questioned earlier in the year by the Guardia Civil.

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