Alleged 400,000-euro fraud affecting farmers from Malaga in the sale of fruit and vegetables to Almeria company reported

The organisation of agricultural enterprises (COAG) of Malaga has denounced an alleged swindle carried out by Almerian company La Unión - a vegetable-trading company that has accumulated a non-payment to a group of farmers from Malaga. The suspected fraud amounts to more than 400,000 euros and affects 16 families, agricultural professionals and experts specialising in the cultivation of greenhouse and subtropical vegetables such as tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, avocados, among others.

La Unión entered into insolvency proceedings last summer, although it has now managed to revive its economy and is continuing with its activity, "with apparent normality", according to COAG. However, the non-payment to farmers in Malaga, "has had to be processed through the court of Vélez-Málaga, as it is tinged by hints of a scam facilitated by a front company called Uperfresh - a name that appears, both in the delivery notes and invoices issued and unpaid - that farmers exchanged with professional representatives of the Almeria-based distributor".

COAG Malaga has organised a demonstration outside the gates of the Vélez-Málaga court to highlight the problem, where the documentation for the case has been paralysed.

The events occurred at the end of 2021, when the commercial relationship that these farmers normally maintained with their distributor "was suddenly cut short after several non-payments, at which point they realised that the invoices showed the name of another company with which they had never had any relationship whatsoever".

Since then, a series of actions have been taken by this group of farmers in an attempt to resolve the situation and activate the relevant legal procedures so that these practices can be tried, preventing further fraud or deception.

According to COAG Malaga, "justice has paralysed the complaint and the file for a year". "The situation is outrageous, because we are talking about almost 20 farmers who have been waiting five years for this scam to be analysed by the courts." The documentation is pending assignment to an official so that the proceedings can begin. "In the meantime, the allegedly fraudulent companies continue their commecial activity as if nothing has happened," said Antonio Rodríguez, COAG's provincial secretary.

According to COAG, the complaint was filed in the court in February 2024. The families have still received no answer.

"From COAG Malaga we want to denounce the situation, make it public to highlight the injustice and inoperativeness of some institutions. Let us be aware that does not only affects these 16 families, who are having great difficulties overcoming the deception, both materially and emotionally, but also all those who may still suffer the same situation caused by those responsible for the scam," said Rodríguez.