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Date Published: 06/01/2025

Faulty cars, fatal consequences: Baby dies as a result of ITV fraud in Murcia

The car lost control in Jumilla not long after it had been certified as safe to drive

A devastating road accident in Jumilla that claimed the life of an 11-month-old baby during the summer has unveiled a criminal network accused of fraudulently certifying unfit vehicles as roadworthy.

The Guardia Civil has arrested 11 people and is investigating five more in connection with the case, dubbed Operation Mojita, at the La Hita ITV test centre in Molina de Segura.

The car involved in the accident, which was carrying the baby boy and his family, had severe technical deficiencies including a flat tyre, yet it had been passed through the ITV inspection as “suitable” just weeks earlier.

Investigations actually began back in early 2024 when police carrying out routine inspections noticed a huge number of cars, many of which were more than 20 years old and visibly in poor condition, sailing through the tough inspection test in minutes.

“The criminal network fraudulently certified non-existent repairs and approved vehicles in poor condition, with the consequent risk for road users,” the Guardia Civil said in the press release this week.

“Among those arrested and investigated are the technical director, inspectors and administrative staff of the ITV station under investigation,” as well as “shop managers and regular customers,” who are charged with crimes of falsifying documents, violating road safety, belonging to a criminal group and continued corruption between individuals.

Furthermore, “inspections were carried out in a matter of seconds, without checking essential elements, such as seat belts and tires, and with irregular practices, such as the manipulation of vehicles during the inspection process.”

The results have been devastating. In July, the test centre’s actions led to the fatal accident on the A-33 motorway in Jumilla. The crash, which took the life of an 11-month-old child, was caused when a defective tyre burst, leading to the driver losing control of the vehicle.

Despite its obvious unsafe condition, the vehicle had been deemed roadworthy by inspectors.

The most worrying aspect of this case, which is still open, is that there are almost certainly many cars on the road today that should never have passed the ITV.

“The Guardia Civil is continuing its investigation to detect and identify more vehicles whose inspection has been tampered with, in order to guarantee the safety of drivers.”

Sadly, ITV fraud is anything but uncommon. Back in March, several individuals were arrested on suspicion of falsifying documents at a Fuente Álamo ITV test centre and in 2023, a similar operation was conducted at another ITV centre nearby, resulting in the arrest of seven employees accused of participating in a scheme involving fraudulent vehicle inspections.

Images: Guardia Civil

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