Croatia's police, customs, and environmental protection agencies took part in a major operation organized by EU's border agency Frontex against illegal waste trafficking, in which some 2,000 tons of various waste meant for export outside the EU were seized.

The operation involved 29 countries and their national authorities and five European agencies, with 2,500 controls carried out, and 100 cases of illicit waste trafficking discovered.

Some 2,000 tons of waste were seized, and 43 suspects were arrested.

“Labelled Operation TRASH, the action targeted the illicit trafficking of waste via the EU’s external land and sea borders, both on entry and exit from EU. As part of the operation, law enforcement officers checked vans, trucks, ships and other cargos,” Croatian state news platform cited a Frontex statement published on their website.

Croatia’s Interior Ministry said on Tuesday that the illegal waste trafficking “brings huge profits and carries a relatively low risk.” During inspections of vans, trucks and ships, law enforcement authorities found used cars parts, plastics, batteries, exhausted oil, metal scraps, used tires, textiles and electronic waste, but also hazardous waste.

The waste was meant to be transported illegally to Africa, Asia, and Central and Eastern Europe, in order to be dumped, burned, or dispersed, which would inevitably lead to environmental pollution of land, air, and water.