Agents of the National Police, as part of a joint operation with the Mossos d’Esquadra, dismantled a criminal organization dedicated to international drug trafficking and linked to the Mexican Sinaloa cartelfor his alleged participation in the kidnapping and murder of a man in Catalonia.
The investigation began on August 5 when the corpse of a manwith signs of violence and in an advanced state of decomposition, in a wooded area in the municipality of Botarell (Tarragona).
The two police forces opened an investigation at the end of June after becoming aware, through INTERPOL Kosovo and EUROPOL Italy, of the complaints of the victim’s father and wife. In their complaint, they explained that their loved one had been kidnapped in Barcelona and that the perpetrators had requested a ransom of 240,000 euros. A joint investigation team composed of agents from the National Police and the Mossos d’Esquadra took charge of the investigation to identify the kidnappers and locate the victim.
đźš©Fourteen people linked to the Sinaloa cartel arrested for the kidnapping and murder of a man in Catalonia
This group is involved in the kidnapping and death of a man whose body was found in a wooded area of #Tarragonawho had traveled from #Italy For… pic.twitter.com/flbIIsIe1m
– National Police (@policia) November 17, 2024
A criminal organization established in Maresme and Barcelona
As a result of the investigation, it was established that the man was kidnapped by members of the criminal organization between May 31 and June 2. Subsequently, the victim’s relatives in Kosovo received a communication from the kidnappers demanding the payment of 240,000 euros for his releaseproviding a photograph as proof of life.
A few days later, the family contacted the agents to report that they had made a payment in cryptocurrencies under pressure and on the condition of receiving proof again that the victim was alive. Specifically, they made the $32,000 payment into a virtual cryptocurrency wallet, following the organization’s instructions to make it difficult to trace the money, but at no time did they receive any news of the victim and the kidnappers They continued to demand further payments.
Throughout the investigation, cybercrime specialists were able to identify several people linked to this transaction and directly linked to the kidnapping. Likewise, the investigation team found several clues inside the vehicle in which the victim had traveled from Italy to Barcelona and which was in a municipal warehouse. Everything indicated that the kidnappers used this vehicle to transport his body from a house located in Sant Andreu de Llavaneres (Barcelona) to a remote and wooded area in the town of Botarell (Tarragona). The victim’s lifeless body He was found by investigators on August 5 in an advanced state of decomposition.
Ties to the Mexican Sinaloa Cartel
The kidnappers, linked to the Mexican Sinaloa cartel, are involved in international crimes linked to drug trafficking, money laundering, kidnappings and murders. They received packages of Mexican origin with methamphetamine impregnated on clothes sent to Catalonia from Mexico and once in Spain they carried out the process of extracting the narcotic substance in a laboratory they had. Although they lived in Maresme and Barcelona, ​​the majority had strong international mobility to several European countries and Mexico.
Fourteen people arrested, weapons, synthetic drugs and a meth extraction laboratory
The efforts of the police made it possible to locate the people investigated in houses in Maresme and Barcelona, ​​where the judicial entries and searches were carried out which allowed surprise arrest participants in the events and the seizure of the seized effects, which led to the dismantling of this dangerous organization composed mainly of Mexican individuals.
The investigation resulted in a police operation deployed in Barcelona, ​​Sant Andreu de Llavaneres (Barcelona), Sant Cebrià de Vallalta (Barcelona) and Cabrils (Barcelona) with a balance sheet of fourteen people arrested, including the mastermind of the kidnapping and leader of the organization. During the searches, in five houses and in a restaurant, a laboratory was located for the extraction of methamphetamine impregnated with solid surfaces such as clothing, as well as methamphetamine prepared for consumption, a large quantity of ecstasy and a marijuana plantation. Firearms, technological equipment and money were also seized, as well as evidence directly related to the case. kidnapping and murder of a man The detainees, 11 men and 3 women, are between 30 and 70 years old.
The victim, aged 46, is believed to have worked for the organization and traveled from Italy to Barcelona to meet with some of the leaders of the criminal network. The investigating court number 2 of Reus maintained the secrecy of the procedure throughout the investigation in order not to endanger any of the efforts made and which allowed the dismantling of the criminal organization. Once the secrecy was lifted, the agents informed the victim’s relatives of his death and the location of his body.
