11 named in court in biggest criminal probe into e-waste exports
12 Nov 2010 02:22 PM
Eleven people and four companies have been named in court on Thursday 11 November as part of the biggest investigation ever carried out by the Environment Agency into the illegal export of electrical waste from the UK to developing countries.
Havering Magistrates Court heard the eleven defendants face charges of allegedly shipping prohibited waste under the Transfrontier Shipment of Waste Regulations 2007 and European Waste Shipment Regulations 2006.
The case comes one week after six shipping lines suspended all exports of used electricals to Nigeria.
Hazardous waste electricals, including everyday items such as televisions, computers and refrigerators, cannot be sent overseas for recycling or disposal. As well as containing precious metals such as gold, copper and aluminium - electrical waste can also harbour hazardous substances including mercury and lead that are harmful to people and the environment.
There is evidence to suggest that illegally exported electrical waste from the UK is ending up on waste sites in Africa, causing harm to people and the environment.
Biggest investigation of its kind
The Environment Agency’s National Environmental Crime Team Manager, Andy Higham, said: “This is by far the biggest investigation of its kind ever conducted in England and Wales.
“Over the past two years, painstaking intelligence work by Environment Agency officers has uncovered a web of individuals and companies that appear to be making considerable sums of money by exporting electrical waste overseas.
“The law is clear - it is a crime to export electrical waste items from the UK to developing countries.
“Waste electricals often contain hazardous materials and the last thing we want is our waste causing harm to people or the environment overseas.
“Illegally exporting electrical waste also avoids the costs of legitimate recycling and undermines law-abiding recycling businesses in this country.”
Network uncovered
Officers from the Environment Agency’s National Crime Team began their investigations in mid-2008. They soon uncovered a network of individuals, waste companies and export businesses allegedly involved in the export of electrical waste.
The eleven people facing charges under the Transfrontier Shipment of Waste Regulations 2007 and European Waste Shipment Regulations 2006, are:
1. Stuart McGuigan, 46, Norwich
2. Adrian John Thomson, 31, Norwich
3. Joe Benson, 50, Essex
4. Chika Ezeemo, 30, London
5. Krassimir Vengelov, 48, West Sussex
6. Prince Nworoisa Ibeh, 46, Poole, Dorset
7. Emmanuel Mukete, 43, Leicester
8. Michael Sirpal Singh, 26, Birmingham
9. Nnamdi Chinedu Ezechukwu, 43, London
10. Godwin Chukwnaenya Ezeemo, 45, Illford, Essex
11. Terry Soloman Dugbo, 39, Leeds
The four companies facing charges under the Transfrontier Shipment of Waste Regulations 2007 and European Waste Shipment Regulations 2006, are:
1. Orient Export Limited, Essex
2. Reliance Export Limited, Essex
3. Thorn International UK Limited, Birmingham
4. BJ Electronics UK Limited, Greater London
More information
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- Over six million electrical items, amounting to one million tones, are thrown away in the UK every year.
- Half of the 18 investigations the Environment Agency’s National Crime Team is currently conducting into the illegal export of waste are in relation to electrical waste. The remaining nine investigations include the illegal export of tyres and household waste.
- The Environment Agency secured its first successful prosecution for the illegal export of electrical waste in July. A further four prosecutions are listed to appear in court over the next few weeks.