The Civil Guard of the Region of Murcia, in collaboration with the Autonomous Community of the Region of Murcia, has developed the operation ‘REDMOJA’, an investigation initiated to clarify some alleged cases of fraud in periodic technical inspections, which has resulted in the dismantling of a criminal group composed of seven people and who acted in an ITV station in the municipality of Fuente Álamo. The actions began last September, when civil guards from the Traffic Investigation and Analysis Group of the Murcia Traffic Sector detected that in an ITV station in the municipality of Fuente Álamo, periodic technical inspections of motor vehicles were being carried out fraudulently, according to sources from the Benemérita in a statement. Once the ITV station where the illegal activity was allegedly taking place was located, the investigators set up a discreet surveillance device in the vicinity of the station. They even managed to detect vehicles that were found to have a negative inspection – which were to be immobilised at the station – leaving the station driven by the person who took them for the inspection, when in reality they should have left the station on a tow truck, as in these conditions they were forbidden to drive on all public roads as a result of the serious defects detected.
DEFICIENCIES IN BRAKING SYSTEMS AND TYRES WERE OVERLOOKED.
The Benemérita investigators verified the existence of a considerable number of fraudulent inspections that were being carried out with total impunity and lack of professionalism by some inspectors of the ITV station, mostly third category vehicles, such as trailers, tractors and buses, thus causing a significant risk of accidents due to the vulnerability of this type of heavy vehicles, with the consequent danger to all road users. The civil guards in charge of the investigation had a short period of time to carry out an exhaustive analysis of the inspections carried out at the ITV station and detected irregularities in 66 inspections, which had been fraudulently passed. The investigators inspected the ITV station and arrested seven people, four of them workers and three others related to its management.
ONE OF THE CASES DETECTED IN FLAGRANTE DELICTO
During the operational phase of the operation, the Guardia Civil detected that a few moments before a mixed vehicle, van type, had been inspected at the ITV station, an evidence that generated certain suspicions to the investigators. The van had been inspected by one of the members of the now dismantled plot and left the station with a favourable result. With the van at the ITV station again, a new inspection was carried out jointly by another inspector from the station and an inspector from the General Directorate of Energy and Industrial Activity and Mining of the CARM, the result of this last inspection being negative, as serious deficiencies were detected in the mechanical elements of the vehicle. The fact that this van was given a favourable result in the inspection meant a serious danger and risk to road safety, so a report of this inspection was drawn up and the vehicle was immobilised at the station.
The detainees, together with the proceedings, have been handed over to the Examining Magistrate’s Court in Cartagena (Murcia).