On the morning of September 29, 2025, inside theport area of ​​Naples, the Carabinieri of Ecological Operations Unit of Naples, during an inspection aimed at ascertaining the regularity of the cross-border shipments, they have subjected to control a load of ferrous scrap, produced by a company in Caivano (NA), destined for a Turkish steel mill, as material for blast furnace smelting, by ship.

As part of the inspection activity, the military, with the support of personnel from theHarp Campania, found that the aforementioned wreckage, mixed with municipal solid waste and hazardous waste (oil filters, parts of exhausted batteries, wood, rubber, polyurethane, electronic boards, mechanical parts of non-remediated vehicles, bicycle parts, burnt elements, oxidised metal elements, tyres, bicycle frames, metal packaging containing residues of oil and/or grease, electric cables), were accompanied by fadditional documentation certifying non-existent treatment/recovery activities.

In fact, the material was intended for the illegal disposal, at a plant in Izmir (Türkiye), certifying that it is a MPS (secondary raw material), subject to a preliminary treatment activity.

The inspection was also extended to the company's plant, in order to ascertain the regularity of the alleged recovery operations. The on-site checks confirmed the investigative hypothesis, so much so that the Carabinieri of the special unit of the force proceeded to seizure of a further 250 tons of special waste, also destined for the Turkish steelworks, and these latter too falsely classified as “secondary raw materials”.

At the end of the activities, which continued until late evening, the soldiers of the NOE of Naples proceeded toarrest of the legal representative of the company, subject of investigation, 32-year-old from San Giuseppe Vesuviano (NA), held responsible for the illegal shipment of waste, for having carried out a shipment of hazardous waste constituting an illegal shipment to Turkey. At the same time, the following items were seized:4 vehicles used to transport approximately 120 tons of waste.

This is the first arrest for the new crime of illegal waste shipment, pursuant to articles 259 and 259 bis of Legislative Decree no. 152/2006, as amended by Legislative Decree 116/2025 of 08.08.2025, which introduced specific increased penalties for certain types of crime provided for by the Consolidated Environmental Act.

Once the formalities were completed, the arrested man was placed at the disposal of the Public Prosecutor's Office of North Naples, which arranged for him to be presented before the GIP of the Court of North Naples, who validated the arrest, carried out by the ARMA military.

The suspect, not being burdened by any criminal record, specific he was then released.