Prosecutor Seeks Closure of Tenerife Aggregate Firm for 20 Years of Illegal Extraction

The Public Prosecutor's Office in Santa Cruz de Tenerife has filed a complaint with the Granadilla de Abona Court against a company that extracts aggregates in Los Cármenes (Chimiche). They are asking for the company to stop its operations immediately and for the site to be sealed off. This legal action comes after the Tenerife Association of Friends of Nature (ATAN) first complained in May 2025. After months of investigation, the Prosecutor's Office believes the company may have committed a crime against natural resources and the environment.

The investigation by the Prosecutor's Office uncovered a long history of illegal activities. According to their report, the company has been extracting, crushing, and processing aggregates for over two decades without the necessary legal permits. These operations took place on valuable land in areas known as Barranco del Horno (or Piedras Caldas), El Barranquillo de Las Arenitas, and El Barranquillo de Cha Silveria.

The land where this activity occurs is rural and designated for agriculture, infrastructure, and landscape protection. The Prosecutor's Office describes the impact as "extremely serious," causing significant damage to the soil, subsoil, and the natural landscape of the South zone.

Given the extent of the environmental damage and the ongoing illegal activity, the Prosecutor's Office has asked the Court to apply Article 339 of the Penal Code. This article allows for temporary measures to correct illegal situations. The request to close and seal the site is not only due to the lack of required permits but also because there's an immediate risk that the ecological damage will become "difficult or impossible to restore" if the machines continue to operate.

The Tenerife Association of Friends of Nature (ATAN), which started this process less than a year ago, is pleased with the Prosecutor's Office's swift action. For the environmental group, prioritizing preventive environmental protection through a temporary closure is a significant victory. The organization stated, "It is not enough to prosecute the crime after the fact; it is essential to prevent the damage from worsening during the judicial process."

This case highlights questions about administrative oversight in the Canary Islands, particularly how such a large operation could have run illegally for 20 years in specially protected areas. The legal process now beginning will be crucial in setting a precedent for corporate responsibility and the restoration of damaged natural spaces in Tenerife.