Environmental crime in NRW: Massive searches for criminal network!

Environmental crime in NRW: Massive searches for criminal network!

In North Rhine-Westphalia, extensive searches have started on suspicion of serious environmental criminal offenses. According to Radio Euskirchen , around 300 forces from the police and public prosecutor's office are on duty to act against more than 30 accused. These are suspected of having illegally disposed of as part of an organized criminal network.

The searches are carried out on more than 50 addresses throughout the country, including in Euskirchen. The Euskirchen district police are involved in this assignment. The investigation is not new; They are related to other missions that took place in January 2025 and September 2024. A central suspect is an entrepreneur from the building materials sector who is said to have illegally discharged in the Garzweiler open -cast mine through subcontractors and with the help of fake documents with pollutants.

collaboration of the authorities

Over 150 emergency services from the State Criminal Police Office North Rhine-Westphalia (LKA NRW) as well as the public prosecutor's office in Dortmund and other authorities enforce the search resolutions. These actions are directed against a 56-year-old entrepreneur, his 24-year-old son and four other suspects. Among other things, these accused are suspicious of having fake thousands of delivery documents from disposal companies in order to illegally dispose of pollutants, such as lka.polizei.nrw reported.

The customer was borne by fake, the proper disposal was reflected, for which high invoices were requested. The head of the network and its son organized the transports of large construction sites by several subcontractors. The central office for the pursuit of environmental crime in North Rhine -Westphalia (Zeuk NRW) is investigating the accused because of a number of offenses, including soil contamination and forgery of documents

balance sheets of environmental criminal prosecution

The investigation is part of a major initiative in North Rhine-Westphalia, which is supported by Zeuk NRW. This special public prosecutor pursues environmental offenses that cause considerable threats or damage to humans, plants and animals. Minister of Justice Dr. Benjamin Limbach and chief prosecutor Britta Affeldt made it clear in a balance sheet that a total of 99 investigative proceedings were recorded in her first year, with over two million euros in wealth arrest, such as rheinischer-spiegel.de in detail.

The Zeuk NRW, the only of its kind in Germany with nationwide responsibility, focuses on various areas of priorities, including illegal waste disposal and water pollution. With the support of other authorities in North Rhine-Westphalia, Zeuk NRW also acts as a central point of contact for questions of environmental criminal law.

The ongoing investigations are intended to identify further participants and thus increase the fight against crime in the area of ​​environmental crime. The cases that are currently examined illustrate the complexity and range of environmental offenses in the region.