A joint operation of the National Police, Mossos d'Esquadra and the Police of the Netherlands (IRC The Hague) has made it possible to dismantle a criminal organization, the so-called

'Mocro Mafia'

in the Netherlands , which intended to settle in Catalonia to launder drug money with the acquisition of goods and investment in businesses.

There are three detainees after an investigation that began in February 2021 with a joint investigation team of the National Police and Mossos d'Esquadra when the trail of a gang of thieves who

assaulted ATMs using explosive gases

in several countries of the European Union was followed.

.

Specifically, in January 2020, two ATM robberies were committed in Catalonia through the use of explosives and the Mossos investigation, with the help of the German police, identified a suspect of Dutch origin.

Although it was not initially related to these assaults, it could be linked to another similar robbery in October 2020 in Paterna that the Police was investigating.

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Organized crime.

The terror of the Mocro Mafia, the gang that threatens to kidnap the princess of Holland and kills even in Chiclana

  • Writing: ANDROS LOZANO

The terror of the Mocro Mafia, the gang that threatens to kidnap the princess of Holland and kills even in Chiclana

For this reason, a joint investigation group was created on the suspect, who lived in Catalonia.

However,

the agents discovered his contacts with a criminal organization of Dutch origin

that had settled in the Mataró area and that could be dedicated to money laundering.

The Investigating Court number 2 of Mataró issued several European Investigation Orders (OEI) that served to identify those in charge of the gang that facilitated the installation of members of the 'Mocro-Mafia' in Spain, mainly in Catalonia.

This 'Mocro-Mafia' appears due to

the integration in the Netherlands and Belgium of different criminal clans of North African origin

and are known for using violent methods in their business.

According to the Police, they are spreading their influences in other countries of the European Union, including Spain, and highlight that it is a very dangerous organization with an increasing activity in the Port of Rotterdam, the most important in Europe in relation to the transport of goods. by sea.

In this sense, their links with criminal groups that operate in North Africa in hashish trafficking stand out;

as well as with South America in relation to cocaine trafficking.

Several live firearms and ammunition were seized in the joint operation, specifically

several semi-automatic pistols and a revolver

;

weapons that they had prepared to defend the corresponding businesses, as well as the narcotic substances with which they traded in some of the premises run in Catalonia.

The Police indicate that the organization allegedly intended to consolidate a structure that would allow the laundering of the large profits to insert them into the legal economic circuit.

The agents of the joint group identified the businesses they used to launder the acquired goods and the connections with the Netherlands to carry out the different money laundering operations.

For this reason, they dedicated themselves to preventively blocking their

apparently legal businesses but used for criminal purposes

that the detainees had in Catalonia, such as restaurants and buying and selling high-end vehicles.

The gang moved large amounts of money within the European Union, concealing the origin of the funds used to carry out simulated commercial operations.

For this reason, on October 13, National Police and Mossos d'Esquadra agents traveled to the Netherlands to arrest the suspects and search premises and addresses simultaneously in this country and in Spain.

In addition to

checking accounts, luxury goods (high-end cars, jet skis, jewelry, certified gold coins) and some 2,000,000 euros

in cash were seized.

Among the high-end vehicles located there are some models whose market price exceeds 150,000 euros, together with a high-end watch, whose market price starts at 200,000 euros.

The agents believe that they used them to launder capital from drug trafficking since the Netherlands Police found a dump with money in plastic bags at a home.

The investigators point out that the criminal activity of the gang was diversified, in robberies and drug trafficking.

The two detainees in the Netherlands, entered provisional prison and there are also four others investigated.

No more arrests are ruled out once the intervened documentation is analyzed.

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