Five Members of Alleged Chinese Criminal Network Arrested in Spain

Five members of an alleged Chinese criminal network, reportedly capable of smuggling over €1 million daily, have been arrested in Spain. Europol, the European law enforcement agency led by director Catherine de Bolle, announced that dozens of searches on homes and commercial buildings were conducted on July 2 and July 3.

“The searches involved some hundred Spanish police officers who were supported on the ground by French Judicial Customs investigators and Europol experts,” the agency stated. The operations took place in Madrid, Valencia, Alicante, and Barcelona.

Europol revealed that the alleged "head" of the criminal gang was among those arrested. The operation also led to the seizure of nearly €160,000 in cash.

“Composed of Chinese nationals, the criminal network is believed to have been operating across Europe since at least 2019,” Europol disclosed. “This prolific criminal network is believed to have had the capacity to smuggle over one million euros in cash per day.”

Authorities indicated that the cash originated “from a number of illegal activities,” including the trafficking of counterfeit goods, tax and customs fraud, and prostitution. Europol elaborated, “The criminal network relied on a sophisticated network of logistic experts who would facilitate the movement of the cash across Europe.”

The investigation was launched in February 2021 by the French authorities. French Customs in Perpignan, a city in southern France near the Spanish border, seized over half a million euros in cash concealed in a vehicle equipped with a hidden compartment.

Europol noted that the operation “was carried out with the financial support of the European Multidisciplinary Platform Against Criminal Threats.”

By fLEXI tEAM