The search at the Centre for Research in Animal Health (CReSA), located on the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) campus, is part of preliminary proceedings led by the Investigating Court number 2 of Cerdanyola del Vallès. The court is investigating the African Swine Fever (ASF) outbreak detected in wild boars in the nearby Collserola park.
Police agents, including specialists from the Tedax and the NRBQ unit (Nuclear, Radiological, Bacteriological, and Chemical), have seized samples of the viruses handled by the laboratory and cloned electronic devices. The goal is to determine if the virus strain found in the deceased animals matches any used by the center.
The collected samples will be analyzed at the Centre for Research in Animal Health (CISA-INIA) in Valdeolmos (Madrid). The court received a police report on December 9 and is investigating a potential crime against the environment, maintaining secrecy over the proceedings.
“"nothing so far allows us to conclude that the outbreak originates from the public laboratory."
The CReSA is under suspicion because the pathogen detected in the infected boars is the same strain used in experiments at the facility, which is part of the IRTA public company owned by the Generalitat. The outbreak has raised significant alarms in Spain’s crucial pork sector.
