Seven people are being investigated in Cáceres for damages valued at more than €6 million at an archaeological site.

Ceramic fragments, mill wheels and press bases, stones, ashlars and tiles, as well as other finds of historical and heritage interest, such as large Roman-style storage vessels , have been found scattered, fragmented and decontextualized at an archaeological site in Cáceres due to land clearing with heavy machinery. The Civil Guard is investigating seven people for allegedly committing a crime against historical heritage and causing damage aggravated by gross negligence.

In February 2025, a Natural Environment agent from the Junta de Extremadura reported the events arising from the earth removal works on a property located within the municipality of Casas de Don Antonio (Cáceres) , in the vicinity of the Vía de la Plata , declared a Site of Cultural Interest, in the category of Historic Route, as it passes through the province of Cáceres.

At the request of the Cáceres Provincial Prosecutor's Office, agents from the Nature Protection Service (SEPRONA) inspected the site and confirmed the recent execution of earthworks using heavy machinery, leveling, and subsoiling of the land inside a farm, with the alleged intention of changing the crop to a super-intensive olive grove.

The work, which involved digging trenches and other excavations of considerable depth, had been carried out improperly within the boundaries of the archaeological site , according to a statement issued by the Civil Guard.

The affected area, where large quantities of archaeological remains are scattered on the surface, covers an area of approximately 25,356 m2 .

The General Directorate of Libraries, Archives, and Cultural Heritage of the Ministry of Culture of the Regional Government of Extremadura has confirmed in a report that the work was carried out without archaeological control or monitoring and without the corresponding administrative authorization . Furthermore, the obligation to communicate archaeological finds was violated .

The agricultural work resulted in the partial destruction of the archaeological stratigraphy in the areas surveyed, resulting in an irreparable loss of information . The damage has been estimated at more than six million euros.

The works have been halted, and police investigations have been referred to the First Instance and Investigation Court No. 1 of Cáceres.