The Guardia Civil arrested 17 employees of a Vehicle Technical Inspection (ITV) station in San Javier, as alleged perpetrators of more than 1,000 crimes of false documents, 1,800 crimes of computer damage and belonging to a criminal organisation.
The search carried out at the ITV station has resulted in the seizure of four computer storage devices, corresponding to the different inspection lines, and the station’s computer server, as well as all the relevant documentation, as well as a vehicle.
This seized car was allegedly being used as a “wild card”, replacing those that were unable to pass the emissions, braking of fuel tests.
The investigation began last year, when officers from the Traffic Analysis and Investigation Group (GIAT) of the Traffic Sector of the Guardia Civil in Murcia became aware of possible fraudulent practices related to the technical inspection of vehicles.
The subsequent raid revealed that a few days before the officers arrived to carry out their search, all of the files stored on the computer system had been deleted. However, practically all of the deleted files, a total of 60,588, and of the modified files, a total of 1,797, have been recovered through computer forensic techniques.
The Guardia Civil, in addition, have carried out a detailed study of more than 30,000 files and inspection reports. The documentation includes a high number of vehicles that passed two technical inspections on the same day, the first with an unfavourable result, therefore failing the inspection, and the second with a favourable result, thus passing but with clearly insufficient time to correct the defects found in the original examination.
The detainees, the effects and vehicle seized, and the results of the investigation have been made available to Courts in San Javier. The Investigation remains open.
