Serbian organised crime gang members arrested.

Six of the 29 people arrested as alleged members of an organized crime gang that burgled more than 100 homes and conducted business scams in Spain, Portugal, France and Italy, were arrested in the Daya Vieja (Alicante Province). The gang was divided into four groups which were based in Orihuela, Hondarribia (Guipuzcoa), Castellon and Portugal. From there they would travel to other locations to conduct the burglaries and scams, according to the National Police.

The group in Orihuela would travel as far as the Andalucian provinces of Seville, Granada and Cordoba. The most active group, in Hondarribia focused mainly on towns in southern France, although to a lesser extent in Navarra and the Basque Country.

Valencia, Alicante, Murcia, Tarragona and Albacete were covered by the group based in Castellon.

The fourth group travelled all around Portugal.

Amongst those arrested was a jeweller who supposedly acted as a ‘fence’ to sell on items stolen by the gang.

Four kilos of jewellery, watches, mink coats, electronic goods, mobile phones and €70,000 in cash was seized during the investigation initiated by a Denia judge.

The burglaries were carried out by women and youngsters who gained access picking the lock and then threatening to cut the property owner’s throat if not enough gold was given.

The scams included posing as foreign investors interested in making currency exchanges in exchange for lucrative commissions.

They would deliver counterfeit notes in exchange for legal tender.