Georgian, Spanish police detain Georgians in joint operation

A large scale operation with the involvement of Georgian police was conducted on April 4 in Barcelona, Spain which resulted in the arrest of 25 Georgian citizens.

In total, more than 100 arrests were made, with most individuals accused of robbing flats and membership in an organized criminal group.

41 Georgian citizens were also arrested for the violation of immigration regulations.

The criminals had illegally occupied a school building where the special operation was later conducted.

Stolen items and large amounts of money were seized from the flats where the criminals lived.

The criminal groups selected the apartments in advance and robbed them afterwards.

The large-scale Barcelona special operation was preceded by a one-year investigation by the Central Criminal Department of Spain and Georgia’s Interior Ministry in Spain and Georgia.

Georgian TV Channel Rustavi 2  reports that the detained Georgians are still waiting for the law enforcers’ decision on whether they have to leave Spain.

About 20 families with 17 minors among them are at the abandoned school and waiting for the Consul of Georgia to visit the scene.

No special operation details are known yet as the case is classified top secret.