PSP seizes more than 20 tons of explosive products in one week

Last week, the PSP seized more than 20 tons of explosive product precursors as part of 229 “exclusive and specific” operations to control and inspect manufacturing, licensing, storage and marketing, it was announced today.

In a statement, the PSP said that this operation carried out between February 17 and 21 is part of the inspection actions that the Public Security Police regularly carries out, having seized, between 2022 and 2025, a total of 446,370.2 kilograms of explosive product precursors - chemical substances that alone or in combination with others can be used to manufacture explosives illegally, some of which are used in agriculture.

According to the PSP, the operation carried out last week throughout the country aimed to control and inspect the manufacture, storage, sale, use and transportation of weapons, ammunition, explosive products, dangerous materials and explosive precursors.

This action was carried out with economic operators who provide explosive precursors and with professional users “in order to prevent criminal offences associated with this activity”, indicates the police.

These 229 inspection actions resulted in 37 reports of administrative offences, of which 18 were due to lack of or irregularity in records of transactions and acquisitions or manufactures carried out, 16 were due to irregular storage, three were due to non-compliance with the technical standards defined for the exercise of the activity and two were due to the provision of precursors of explosive products subject to restrictions to individuals.

According to the data to which the Lusa agency had access, in 2022, 106 inspection operations were carried out and six infraction reports were issued, with 62,000 kilos of ammonium nitrate being seized, while in 2023, 174 inspections and 30 infraction reports were carried out and 350,000 kilos of ammonium nitrate were seized.

The year 2024 was different, with 179 inspections and 25 administrative offences, but 10,875 kilos of potassium nitrate and 2,950 kilos of potassium permanganate were seized, with no records of ammonium nitrate.

In total, between 2022 and 2025, the PSP carried out 688 inspection actions and issued 98 administrative offense reports and seized 446,370.2 kilos of explosive precursors, including 10,875 kilos of potassium nitrate, 432,545.2 of ammonium nitrate and 2,950 of potassium permanganate.

With this operation, the PSP is once again associated with the European Day in Memory of Victims of Terrorism (established by the European Union), marked annually on 11 March following the terrorist attacks carried out with explosives at Atocha station in Madrid on 11 March 2004, which caused 193 deaths and around 2000 injuries.

The PSP stresses that “with this type of operational activity it aims to contribute to reducing the threat that explosive precursors pose in the European Union, reinforcing the control system for the marketing and use of explosive precursors, whose substances or preparations can be used improperly for the illicit manufacture of explosives”, already used on several occasions in terrorist attacks.

Last week, the PSP seized more than 20 tons of explosive product precursors as part of 229 “exclusive and specific” operations to control and inspect manufacturing, licensing, storage and marketing, it was announced today.

In a statement, the PSP said that this operation carried out between February 17 and 21 is part of the inspection actions that the Public Security Police regularly carries out, having seized, between 2022 and 2025, a total of 446,370.2 kilograms of explosive product precursors - chemical substances that alone or in combination with others can be used to manufacture explosives illegally, some of which are used in agriculture.

According to the PSP, the operation carried out last week throughout the country aimed to control and inspect the manufacture, storage, sale, use and transportation of weapons, ammunition, explosive products, dangerous materials and explosive precursors.

This action was carried out with economic operators who provide explosive precursors and with professional users “in order to prevent criminal offences associated with this activity”, indicates the police.

These 229 inspection actions resulted in 37 reports of administrative offences, of which 18 were due to lack of or irregularity in records of transactions and acquisitions or manufactures carried out, 16 were due to irregular storage, three were due to non-compliance with the technical standards defined for the exercise of the activity and two were due to the provision of precursors of explosive products subject to restrictions to individuals.

According to the data to which the Lusa agency had access, in 2022, 106 inspection operations were carried out and six infraction reports were issued, with 62,000 kilos of ammonium nitrate being seized, while in 2023, 174 inspections and 30 infraction reports were carried out and 350,000 kilos of ammonium nitrate were seized.

The year 2024 was different, with 179 inspections and 25 administrative offences, but 10,875 kilos of potassium nitrate and 2,950 kilos of potassium permanganate were seized, with no records of ammonium nitrate.

In total, between 2022 and 2025, the PSP carried out 688 inspection actions and issued 98 administrative offense reports and seized 446,370.2 kilos of explosive precursors, including 10,875 kilos of potassium nitrate, 432,545.2 of ammonium nitrate and 2,950 of potassium permanganate.

With this operation, the PSP is once again associated with the European Day in Memory of Victims of Terrorism (established by the European Union), marked annually on 11 March following the terrorist attacks carried out with explosives at Atocha station in Madrid on 11 March 2004, which caused 193 deaths and around 2000 injuries.

The PSP stresses that “with this type of operational activity it aims to contribute to reducing the threat that explosive precursors pose in the European Union, reinforcing the control system for the marketing and use of explosive precursors, whose substances or preparations can be used improperly for the illicit manufacture of explosives”, already used on several occasions in terrorist attacks.

Last week, the PSP seized more than 20 tons of explosive product precursors as part of 229 “exclusive and specific” operations to control and inspect manufacturing, licensing, storage and marketing, it was announced today.

In a statement, the PSP said that this operation carried out between February 17 and 21 is part of the inspection actions that the Public Security Police regularly carries out, having seized, between 2022 and 2025, a total of 446,370.2 kilograms of explosive product precursors - chemical substances that alone or in combination with others can be used to manufacture explosives illegally, some of which are used in agriculture.

According to the PSP, the operation carried out last week throughout the country aimed to control and inspect the manufacture, storage, sale, use and transportation of weapons, ammunition, explosive products, dangerous materials and explosive precursors.

This action was carried out with economic operators who provide explosive precursors and with professional users “in order to prevent criminal offences associated with this activity”, indicates the police.

These 229 inspection actions resulted in 37 reports of administrative offences, of which 18 were due to lack of or irregularity in records of transactions and acquisitions or manufactures carried out, 16 were due to irregular storage, three were due to non-compliance with the technical standards defined for the exercise of the activity and two were due to the provision of precursors of explosive products subject to restrictions to individuals.

According to the data to which the Lusa agency had access, in 2022, 106 inspection operations were carried out and six infraction reports were issued, with 62,000 kilos of ammonium nitrate being seized, while in 2023, 174 inspections and 30 infraction reports were carried out and 350,000 kilos of ammonium nitrate were seized.

The year 2024 was different, with 179 inspections and 25 administrative offences, but 10,875 kilos of potassium nitrate and 2,950 kilos of potassium permanganate were seized, with no records of ammonium nitrate.

In total, between 2022 and 2025, the PSP carried out 688 inspection actions and issued 98 administrative offense reports and seized 446,370.2 kilos of explosive precursors, including 10,875 kilos of potassium nitrate, 432,545.2 of ammonium nitrate and 2,950 of potassium permanganate.

With this operation, the PSP is once again associated with the European Day in Memory of Victims of Terrorism (established by the European Union), marked annually on 11 March following the terrorist attacks carried out with explosives at Atocha station in Madrid on 11 March 2004, which caused 193 deaths and around 2000 injuries.

The PSP stresses that “with this type of operational activity it aims to contribute to reducing the threat that explosive precursors pose in the European Union, reinforcing the control system for the marketing and use of explosive precursors, whose substances or preparations can be used improperly for the illicit manufacture of explosives”, already used on several occasions in terrorist attacks.