The Spanish authorities made an announcement, this Friday, of the arrest of 16 people, suspected having collected around 17.5 tonnes of olives to make oil, close to Madrid.
The theft of 17.5 tons of olives
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The Spanish Civil Guard said in a statement that it had arrested 16 people and was investigating. another 5 people for the theft of more than 17,500 kilos of olives in the Las Vegas area, in the southeast of Madrid.
Pursued and investigated for theft and fraud, the suspects are between 20 and 57 years old. Spain is the first largest producer of olive oil in the world, and the olive is one of the main agricultural assets for the manufacture of olive oil and for the economy of Spain.
The investigation of the theft of olives
According to the Spanish Civil Guard, the investigation into the thefts began in January, when a farmer denounced the theft of 8.4 tons of olives, in addition to other thefts of significant amounts in the same region.
After the agency came across, in broad daylight, five people carrying 140 kg of olives in a vehicle whose origin they could not prove, apprehended the owners in the provinces of Toledo and guadalajara
In a note, they informed that: “in the same way, the progress of the investigation allowed the agents to arrive at two mills located in the provinces of Toledo and Guadalajara, where they apparently received the fruit from dubious”.
The Spanish Civil Guard also found documents relating to the 17.5 tons of olives and deposits with more than 6,000 liters of oil.
The production of olive oil in Spain
Spain is the largest exporter of olive oil, supplying the product to more than 100 countries on five continents. Italy is the main buyer, followed by France and Great Britain. As far as bottled olive oil is concerned, the United States is the main consumer market for Spanish olive oils.
According to the Spanish Government, due to the geographical and environmental conditions in Spain, the olive tree adapts very well to the soil. Currently, the nation has more than 260 varieties of olives, which allows for the multitude of existing oils with the most diverse aromas and flavors.
