In a major blow against organized crime, the Guardia Civil and the National Police in Spain have dismantled a gang specializing in the illegal trade of stolen luxury vehicles. In a joint operation carried out in collaboration with Europol, fifteen people have been arrested so far, and an impressive 134 high-value vehicles worth approximately 3.6 million euros have been seized. Investigations are ongoing, and further arrests are expected.
The criminal organization had established a complex system to register stolen vehicles from various EU countries and even non-EU states in Spain. The gang manipulated the identification elements of the vehicles and forged documents to give them a new identity. For example, they were able to import vehicles that had been embezzled from financial institutions or leasing companies in other EU countries into Spain and register them there with fake papers. Among the seized luxury cars is a Porsche GT3 worth 250,000 euros.
Investigations began in January 2024 after authorities noticed irregularities in the analysis of registration records and technical vehicle inspections. The comprehensive data collection from various traffic centers and ITV stations (technical vehicle inspection) enabled officers to uncover the extent of the fraud.
The fifteen arrested individuals, who were transferred to Instruction Court No. 8 of Leganés (Madrid), are accused of various offenses, including forgery of public, official, and commercial documents, identity theft, receiving stolen goods, and membership in a criminal organization. The operation extended across the Autonomous Communities of Madrid, Andalusia, and Valencia, underlining the extensive ramifications of the network.
This successful operation once again demonstrates the determination of the Spanish security forces in the fight against international vehicle crime and their close cooperation with European partners.