They swindle 250,000 euros from 140 bank customers after stealing their wallets on public transport

The

has dismantled a criminal group that operated in the provinces of

and

that came to swindle some

after supplanting the identity of

, whose documentation had been stolen by pickpocket members of this network while they were traveling by transport public.

According to the

, 39 people have been arrested and 281 stolen documents have been recovered, three forged and 20 stolen driving licenses ready to commit new crimes.

The investigation began last January after learning of the existence of

, among other crimes.

The criminal network even had a group of pickpockets who were dedicated to stealing documents on public transport that they later provided to the organization, who used them to impersonate clients before banks and open new accounts or purchase vehicles.

At the top of the organization was the main leader of the plot.

Under his immediate command, there were people in charge of obtaining the documentation and its subsequent distribution, as well as the preparation of the work groups that were in charge of acting through the different bank offices.

At a lower level was the

, which recruited people who acted in bank offices and who came to adopt appearances similar to that of the person they were supplanting.

"Seized" accounts

These recruiters also recorded those who provided their bank accounts for the diversion of funds and/or cash refunds, mainly disadvantaged people whom the organization paid in cash or drugs.

The first thing the organization did was to check the current accounts of the victims by requesting a balance or making a micro-entry.

Later they proceeded to modify the telephone and email, so that they

, by having the security communications and use of their electronic banking.

Also, upon request of the global situation of the account, they carried out the cash refund of the money or the diversion to other accounts controlled by the organization.

In turn, they had a network of paid people who immediately took out the maximum possible capital in cash and transferred it to third-party accounts, with the intention of making it difficult to track and trace the money in the event that these could be blocked, a Once the victim reported the facts.

The organization had the help of other criminals who, through powerful computer equipment, were capable of

, in order to give support and greater credibility to the financial operations they carried out with the stolen IDs.

Laundering with the purchase of luxury vehicles

lines of credit

, but also included illicit vehicle trafficking with the

.

After acquiring the cars with financing obtained using the falsified documents, they resold them on the black market in North Africa before the non-payment to the financiers was discovered and thus avoid possible embargo orders that could block their departure from Spain.

One of these vehicles could be recovered when they were about to embark it on a ship bound for Algeria.

The 39 detainees are charged with the crimes of belonging to a criminal organization, fraud, false documents, usurpation of marital status and drug trafficking.

Conforms to The Trust Project criteria

Know more

• events

• National Police