Heavy vehicles worth €1.2 million recovered

TWENTY-FIVE stolen heavy vehicles worth more than €1.2 million have been recovered across Spain.

Since August 2011, seven operations carried out by Guardia Civil and National Police against the international heavy vehicle trafficking network have resulted in the arrests of 50 people.

They are charged with robbery, document falsification, fraud and identity theft.

The stolen vehicles were destined for export and sale to African and Middle Eastern countries.

Following the release from prison of the leaders of the organisation, it had been restructured and was operating from Murcia.  The gang ordered vehicles by phone or internet in the name of large construction companies.  They paid the suppliers a small deposit and had the vehicles delivered to quiet industrial estates.  From there they were taken and hidden in warehouses where they were modified to prevent identification.

The detainees are mainly Spanish, Moroccan, Romanian and Dutch.