The owner of a fish-processing factory in northern Greece and another two people have been arrested for allegedly dumping large quantities of waste in forests and streambeds over the past four years, police said Thursday.
A police statement said the suspects were arrested late Wednesday and face charges of breaking environmental and waste disposal laws as well as for money-laundering.
It said the factory owner had arranged for the sludge to be dumped in remote forested areas near Thessaloniki in order to avoid the cost of having it disposed of responsibly – although police said the suspect occasionally sent small quantities of waste to be legally disposed of so as not to raise suspicions.
Together with the sludge, the suspects are accused of dumping waste containing toxic asbestos.
