MARBELLA – A group of criminals suspected of selling stolen luxury watches have been arrested in Marbella, Malaga. It was a large-scale operation in which 24 people were arrested and 19 house searches were carried out.
The group of criminals is said to have specialised in stealing expensive watches. These were then sold on the black market. Police estimate they stole more than 1,000 watches, with a total value of around €2.5 million. The stolen watches came from luxury jewellery stores and private individuals.
Police began investigating in January after a spate of luxury watch thefts hit the region. The investigation eventually led to the arrest of the group of criminals, who had probably been active for years.
Weapons, drugs and money were also found
During the house searches as part of ‘Operación Soldadito’, not only stolen watches were found, but also weapons, drugs and money. Some of the suspects also had connections to other criminal organisations, which further increases the size of the operation.
Police want to reduce sales of stolen goods
Spanish police have hailed the arrests as an important step in the fight against organised crime and in reducing the sale of stolen goods on the black market. The investigation will be continued to see if more people are involved in the group of criminals. It is also being investigated whether more stolen goods can be recovered.
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