Guardia Civil help break up international crime ring

THE Guardia Civil reported on June 21 that as part of an international operation in cooperation with Europol, the Czech Republic, Belgium and the UK under the codename Chivo it arrested six members of a team of criminals in Palma Mallorca of Georgian and Spanish nationality all allegedly involved in the smuggling of goods from Eastern Europe.

The main activity of this organisation consisted of a range of illegal goods including tobacco and alcohol throughout various countries in Europe using warehouses in Belgium as a hub where bulk stock was stored. 

Apparently this highly organised gang kept in contact by use of computer links and messaging apps to pass orders from Palma to the warehouses. By all accounts, as well as being very organised, the gang was quite violent and intimidated any one that owed them money in order to extract the value of debt.

In a combined operation, four individuals were arrested in the Czech Republic to go along with the six arrested in Spain and three European arrest warrants have also been issued.

When the Guardia Civil undertook their raid, they seized a collection of mobile phones, pen drivers, computers and documents which will all be analysed and shared.