Whilst the Chinese sent a train loaded with 40 freight containers to Madrid, a group of Spaniards were not so honest with their freight-container delivery to Hong Kong.

A Chinese business man spent close to four million euros on 76 freight containers supposedly loaded with copper, tin and other scrap metal. The goods were shipped from Barcelona to Hong Kong, but what arrived was something completely different.

When the unfortunate businessman had the containers opened, they found just slag used in sub-base filling in civil building works; sand and rocks, in place of the valuable scrap metal. He was not impressed.

This was back in October last year, but since then the Mossos d’Esquadra (Catalan regional police) have been busy tracking down the culprits and have finally arrested them.

The police arrested seven people; six Spaniards and one Argentinean, aged between 28 and 56, residents of Barcelona, Terrassa, Premià de Dalt, Gavà, Castelldefels, La Llagosta and Sant Vicenç de Castellet (Barcelona).

They were charged and released pending trial. Amongst those arrested were five workers belonging to the Catalan exporting company.

The Barcelona company had been trading with this Chinese company since 2008 during which the latter has paid over eight million American dollars every year.

(News: Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain)