Croatia's anti-corruption office, USKOK, expanded its investigation into an alleged international illegal waste dumping ring, arresting and questioning five new suspects and three companies over the suspected criminal disposal of hazardous materials near the town of Benkovac and inside the Velebit Nature Park near Senj.
The suspects were released after questioning, as USKOK stated there were no legal grounds to request pre-trial detention. Friday's action marks the third expansion of the sweeping environmental crime probe, which now targets a total of 14 individuals and four companies suspected of severe environmental crimes and falsifying official documents within a criminal enterprise.
The investigation, supported by Europol and law enforcement from Italy and Slovenia, became public in February 2025 with the initial arrest of 13 people. Authorities dismantled an alleged criminal network that is accused of orchestrating the illegal import of hazardous waste from Germany, Italy, and Slovenia into Croatia.
According to Europol, instead of properly treating the materials, the network allegedly buried or dumped at least 35,000 tonnes of waste across at least three locations, generating an estimated 4 million euros ($4.5 million) in illicit profits. To execute the scheme, suspects allegedly generated hundreds of falsified waste tracking sheets and fake construction diaries to disguise hazardous materials as municipal waste cover or legitimate building materials.
The severe environmental toll of the scheme became clear in early August, when USKOK released an expert report from the University of Zagreb's Faculty of Geotechnical Engineering, which concluded the local habitat was "partially irreversibly destroyed." Testing at an illegal landfill in Gospić revealed critical levels of heavy metals—including copper, zinc, lead, and antimony—and "forever chemicals," synthetic compounds that do not easily break down in the environment or the human body.
The report noted that downstream water samples showed high concentrations of the chemicals while upstream samples were clear, proving the landfill was the source. Experts warned there is a "high probability of further deterioration" if the waste is not immediately removed.
The latest USKOK findings reveal the destruction extends further. Between 2020 and 2024, the network allegedly dumped nearly 2,900 tonnes of hazardous plastic and industrial waste at the Senj site, and almost 6,500 tonnes of waste laced with heavy metals and microplastics into an inactive mineral field in Benkovac. Prosecutors warned the microplastics serve as a permanent pollution source that could easily leach into groundwater and the local food chain.
The revelations of widespread contamination and potential long-term health impacts sparked mass outrage. In September, tens of thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of Zagreb to demand stronger environmental protections, while local communities demanded strict sanctions against those responsible for the ecological damage.
Seeking to manage the ongoing political fallout and reassure the public, Prime Minister Andrej Plenković announced following a meeting with a scientific council that the government is initiating urgent remediation efforts in Gospić. Plenković stated Monday on X that surface waste will be removed in large bags and buried toxins temporarily covered, insisting that recent air and water tests show no deviations from permitted limits and that the public water supply remains completely safe.
