Officers from the National Police arrested eight people, all of Spanish nationality and aged between 22 and 59, as alleged perpetrators of a crime of money laundering and illicit association.
The investigations began at the end of 2021 after the arrest of five people for drug trafficking and the seizure of 21 kilograms of cocaine.
As a result of this operation, the specialised money laundering units of the National Police in Alicante began investigations to try to determine the destination of the illicit funds generated by said criminal organisation, when it was detected that some of its members were part of commercial companies and carried out legal commercial activities that could be used to channel funds of illicit origin.
As a result of these investigations, it was possible to verify how the prime suspects, together with family members and friends, invested in real estate and in commercial activities of various kinds.
In this way, it was possible to verify the acquisition and restoration of a mansion in the centre of Orihuela as well as a rural house in Cuatretondeta, intended for catering establishments, as well as other commercial premises in the city of Alicante. These acquisitions, financed with funds believed to be from drug trafficking, would allow them to obtain legal profits with which to launder the illicit funds.
In addition, investments were accredited in activities such as a beauty centre, a vehicle repair shop, a fast food outlet and a gaming venue, all of them with the same alleged illicit financing.
The operational action carried out by the investigating agents concluded with the arrest of eight people in the towns of Alicante, Muchamiel and Agost, including the main managers of the dismantled organisation, as well as the search of four properties and a commercial premises.
In the same way, 16 real estate properties were blocked in the towns of Alicante, Santa Pola, Orihuela, Busot, Muchamiel and Cuatretondeta, in addition to nine vehicles and abundant computer equipment.
It is estimated that this criminal organisation in the 2019-2022 period could have introduced into the legal circuit about four million euro as a result of allegedly illegal activities, mostly from drug trafficking, using their closest relatives as well as people of your circle of trust.
The detainees, five men and three women, were made available to the Investigating Court on duty in the towns of Alicante and San Vicente del Raspeig.
