{"id":190651,"date":"2025-12-12T19:04:36","date_gmt":"2025-12-12T19:04:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/we-thought-only-marijuana-growers-were-stealing-electricity-but-supermarkets-are-doing-it-too\/"},"modified":"2025-12-12T19:04:38","modified_gmt":"2025-12-12T19:04:38","slug":"we-thought-only-marijuana-growers-were-stealing-electricity-but-supermarkets-are-doing-it-too","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/we-thought-only-marijuana-growers-were-stealing-electricity-but-supermarkets-are-doing-it-too\/","title":{"rendered":"We Thought Only Marijuana Growers Were Stealing Electricity, but Supermarkets Are Doing It Too"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\n

## Unexpected Criminal Operations in Supermarkets<\/p>\n

While city life often grinds to a halt during nighttime hours, certain supermarkets remain active, keeping their lights on and refrigerators running. However, this sustained electricity consumption in Barcelona caught the attention of law enforcement after December 2. A joint operation conducted by the Civil Guard, National Police, and Urban Police revealed that multiple supermarkets were illegally tapping into the grid for their electrical needs.<\/p>\n

### A Broad Investigation<\/p>\n

This was not an isolated incident; numerous neighborhoods including Nou Barris, Sant Andreu, Sant Mart\u00ed, Gr\u00e0cia, Eixample, and Ciutat Vella were scrutinized. Inspections revealed that 24 out of 26 supermarkets were involved, raising serious questions about regulatory oversight and compliance. These were not merely small, family-run businesses but franchises from well-known chains, some operating 24 hours a day. Consequently, the Civil Guard initiated proceedings against 26 individuals, primarily of Pakistani and Bangladeshi descent, for electricity fraud.<\/p>\n

### Patterns of Electrical Theft<\/p>\n

The investigation was prompted by a complaint from Endesa, the local electricity provider. Endesa noticed strange consumption patterns and anomalies in the electricity usage, indicating that the supermarkets might not be billing for their actual consumption. Upon further inspection, technicians discovered that these establishments were making illegal connections directly to the public power network or street lighting systems. These manipulations posed significant risks, as they lacked safety measures and proper technical reviews.<\/p>\n

### Safety Risks and Public Threat<\/p>\n

The illegal connections installed in these supermarkets raised serious safety concerns, as they increased the risk of short circuits and fires. Many of these stores were located within commercial basements of residential buildings, placing customers and residents in proximity to potential hazards. The Urban Guard highlighted that electrical fraud is not only an offense against energy providers but also a significant threat to public safety.<\/p>\n

### Uncovering Broader Issues<\/p>\n

Beyond electricity theft, the inspections revealed a host of other irregularities. Police identified 59 individuals, some of whom were victims of labor exploitation. In total, the Urban Guard issued 87 citations for violations of safety, hygiene, and regulatory compliance\u2014ranging from blocked emergency exits to the sale of expired food items.<\/p>\n

Moreover, the Civil Guard opened 16 cases for smuggling and other violations like incorrect labeling of products and manipulation of scales, which resulted in favorable weights for merchants. Some workers were found to lack basic food handling cards, further complicating the operational legitimacy of these supermarkets.<\/p>\n

### A Recurring Problem<\/p>\n

The fraudulent activities uncovered in these supermarkets echo previous findings linked to illegal marijuana cultivation operations. However, what was once a clandestine problem has shifted into mainstream commerce. This scenario raises concerns about the normalization of electrical theft in businesses that appear legitimate, showcasing that while the facade may have changed, the underlying crime and its risks remain the same.<\/p>\n

### Conclusion<\/p>\n

The illicit connections to the electrical grid in these supermarkets highlight a larger issue of regulatory oversight and public safety. As the investigation unfolds, it is crucial for authorities to reinforce transparency and compliance across the retail sector, ensuring that both energy providers and consumers are protected from fraudulent practices.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n


\n
General News – 2<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

## Unexpected Criminal Operations in Supermarkets While city life often grinds to a halt during nighttime hours, certain supermarkets remain active, keeping their lights on and refrigerators running. However, this sustained electricity consumption in Barcelona caught the attention of law enforcement after December 2. A joint operation conducted by the Civil Guard, National Police, and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":155999,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[36399],"tags":[1845,46446,8134,7933,23484,1813],"class_list":["post-190651","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology","tag-electricity","tag-growers","tag-marijuana","tag-stealing","tag-supermarkets","tag-thought"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/190651","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=190651"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/190651\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/155999"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=190651"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=190651"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=190651"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}