Dismantled one of the most active criminal groups in Europe that obtained 600 million euros with criminal activities between 2017 and 2019


Dismantled one of the most active criminal groups in Europe that obtained 600 million euros with criminal activities between 2017 and 2019

In a joint operation of the Civil Guard and the National Police coordinated by Europol

22 people have been arrested in Poland, Lithuania and Spain, including the ringleader, a man of 48 years who was arrested in Huelva

40 house searches were carried out in Poland, Lithuania and Spain, in which eight million euros were seized in cash, diamonds, gold bars, jewelery and luxury vehicles

It is a joint operation established by Europol between the National Police, the Civil Guard, the Criminal Police Office of Lithuania, the Revenue and Customs Directorate of the United Kingdom, the Central Police Research Office of Poland and the Board of Police and Estonian Border Guard

In a joint operation coordinated by Europol, the National Police, the Civil Guard, the Criminal Police Office of Lithuania, the Revenue and Customs Directorate of the United Kingdom, the Central Police Investigation Office of Poland and the Police Board and Estonian Border Guard has been dismantled one of the most active criminal groups in Europe with 600 million euros in profits derived from their criminal activities between 2017 and 2019. 22 people have been arrested in Poland, Lithuania and Spain, including the leader of the organization, a man of 48 years who was arrested in Huelva. Forty home searches were also carried out – Poland, Lithuania and Spain – which resulted in the seizure of eight million euros in cash, diamonds, gold bars, jewelery and luxury vehicles.

After a complex investigation, the largest developed to date in Europe against a group of organized crime of this type, we proceeded to dismantle this highly professional and dangerous organization, dedicated to the trafficking of drugs and cigarettes on a large scale, assassinations by order and money laundering. More than 450 agents carried out simultaneous arrests of the members of this criminal network in a joint operation with the support of Europol and Eurojust.
As a result of the operation, 22 people were arrested in Poland, Lithuania and Spain, including the head of the organization in our country. 40 house searches were also carried out, in which eight million euros were seized in cash, diamonds, gold bullion, jewelery, luxury vehicles and a considerable amount of contraband tobacco, as well as the discovery of hidden compartments used for dressing drug.

Counter-surveillance and counterintelligence measures

The researchers estimate that the network obtained some 600 million euros as a result of its illicit activities between 2017 and 2019, which consisted of trafficking in drugs and tobacco in the United Kingdom. The money was laundered through currency exchange offices and subsequently invested in properties in Spain and other countries. The leaders and members of this organization used counter-surveillance and counterintelligence measures to try to evade police inquiries, as well as encrypted communication devices.
The operation, coordinated internationally by Europol and Eurojust, has been the culmination of many months of meticulous planning between law enforcement agencies and prosecutors to prepare the operation. The first inquiries were initiated by the Lithuanian authorities in 2016 and later the investigation continued in Estonia and Poland to gather evidence against the high level members of this network. Rapidly research was extended to the United Kingdom and Spain, after criminal ties were established in all those countries.
The creation of a joint operating group between the five countries and Europol in November 2018 had a catalytic effect on the outcome of the investigation, facilitating the development of a joint strategy targeting the entire criminal network. All this led to carry out one of the largest police operations against an organized crime group.
Due to the demanding research measures carried out at the international level, joint research teams (JITs) were set up between the cooperating countries with the assistance of Eurojust. In this way, three experts from Europol traveled to Lithuania and Poland to provide operational support and police officers from Lithuania, Spain and Poland were also transferred to the participating Member States to facilitate in real time the exchange of information between the national authorities.

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