Spain: Lleida customs office manager and assistant fired

Edullesa fired their manager and his assistant on suspicion of the disclosure of professional secrecy.

It appears that there was a leak of fruit sales invoices, including customer names, prices, type of merchandise, and addresses.

 

This morning, the manager of Edullesa's Customs Station at Lleida SA and his assistant were fired on suspicion that they had committed the crime of leaking professional secrets.

 

The dismissal was agreed by the Board of Directors of Edullesa after they got together to discuss the different indications of irregularities with the way the information was being processed.

According to Joan Serentill, the Council's spokesman who is also the representative of Afrucat, "Afrucat received anonymous information pointing to this crime which we have contrasted with different companies in the sector. When it was apparent that this had indeed happened we summoned the Council and, with the help of a notary and a group of experts, we checked the computers of Edullesa and found that the emails leaking the information had been erased. However, after restoring a copy of the system we were able to recover them and discovered that there were emails being sent systematically from the office of Lleida with the invoices of fruit exports attached."

 

The file of deleted emails showed that confidential information was being leaked. Specifically, the invoices had customer data, such as their name, the price of the merchandise, the formats, destinations, and addresses. We are convinced that the emails were sent to a fruit marketing firm, said Serentill.

 

According to the spokesman, "this has not only meant a loss for the exporting companies that may have lost a client due to an advantageous counteroffer, but it also represents an element that adds pressure to decrease in prices of the fruit from Lleida and from around the Valle del Ebro."

 

At first glance, the review of the computer equipment has revealed that the irregularities have been taking place continuously for over a year and a half. However, we must await the results of the investigation to determine the scope of the facts, he said.

 

The Board of Directors stated that it would file a complaint against the staff that was dismissed and also stated that they wanted to reassure the fruit sector that the customs services were guaranteed and that they would strengthen the security in the handling of information to prevent future leaks.

 

Serentill also assured that they were working to replace the fired manager and that the remaining customs personnel, two inspectors, and the Transit Agency could continue carrying out the service without any problems. Serentill will oversee the Customs office up until a new manager is hired.

 

The Board of Directors empowered Afrucat so that they act and carry out the necessary actions to solve this conflict.