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04-01-2024, 07:02 PM
Radio Sintonia:
The National Police dismantles a criminal organization dedicated to defrauding elderly tourists.
The National Police has completed the first phase of a Police operation, in which the Deputy Directorate of Customs Surveillance has collaborated, through which it has been possible to dismantle a criminal organisation based in the south of the island of Tenerife. 33 alleged members of this organization dedicated to the systematic commission of scams against elderly foreign tourists who were staying in different municipalities in the south of the island, mainly in Adeje and Arona, have been arrested. So far, investigators have identified 1805 victims, nationals of countries such as the United Kingdom, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, France, Luxembourg, Austria, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Iceland, Italy, Estonia, Ireland, Czech Republic, Latvia and Hungary, and it is estimated that the total economic damage caused amounts to more than four million euros so far.
More than 1800 foreign tourists scammed
The investigation dates back to 2022, when the agents became aware of the possible existence of a criminal organisation based in the south of Tenerife, whose purpose was to systematically commission scams against elderly foreign tourists, through small shops selling technological items.
The members of the organization, with a pre-established distribution of roles, selected the victims and offered them technological devices at a low cost.
If the tourist accepted, he was transferred to an establishment belonging to another branch of the organization, which obtained information from the victims regarding the place of accommodation and the date of return to their country.
Under the pretext of configuring the devices and installing recreational applications, they retained the purchased items and arranged with the victims to deliver them before their departure. Once they were sure that the tourist had left national territory, they began to make fraudulent charges on their credit cards through the POS terminals of a complex network of multistores located in the south of Tenerife.
The agents of the Economic and Tax Crime Unit, after a long investigation, which had the collaboration of the Deputy Directorate of Customs Surveillance, dismantled the criminal organization in a Police device composed of more than 100 agents from different units of the National Police.
In total, for the time being, the National Police has arrested 33 people for the alleged authorship of the crimes of criminal organization, Money laundering and fraud, has intervened one million euros in cash in the different searches carried out, has blocked a capital of more than one million euros distributed in more than 300 bank accounts and 42 real estate properties, as well as numerous jewels and 17 luxury vehicles, one of them exceeding the value of 160,000 euros.
The main leaders of the organization, 5 men, after being brought to justice, were remanded in custody.
EUROPOL
The investigation by the National Police continues, already in its patrimonial phase, and it is not ruled out that new victims will be identified and new arrests will be made.
For this reason, the National Police has articulated through EUROPOL channels of Police cooperation with the security forces of the countries of the affected countries, to contact the victims, provide them with advice in the process of reporting criminal acts, appear in the process and be compensated for the economic damage that has been caused to them.
The National Police dismantles a criminal organization dedicated to defrauding elderly tourists.
The National Police has completed the first phase of a Police operation, in which the Deputy Directorate of Customs Surveillance has collaborated, through which it has been possible to dismantle a criminal organisation based in the south of the island of Tenerife. 33 alleged members of this organization dedicated to the systematic commission of scams against elderly foreign tourists who were staying in different municipalities in the south of the island, mainly in Adeje and Arona, have been arrested. So far, investigators have identified 1805 victims, nationals of countries such as the United Kingdom, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, France, Luxembourg, Austria, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Iceland, Italy, Estonia, Ireland, Czech Republic, Latvia and Hungary, and it is estimated that the total economic damage caused amounts to more than four million euros so far.
More than 1800 foreign tourists scammed
The investigation dates back to 2022, when the agents became aware of the possible existence of a criminal organisation based in the south of Tenerife, whose purpose was to systematically commission scams against elderly foreign tourists, through small shops selling technological items.
The members of the organization, with a pre-established distribution of roles, selected the victims and offered them technological devices at a low cost.
If the tourist accepted, he was transferred to an establishment belonging to another branch of the organization, which obtained information from the victims regarding the place of accommodation and the date of return to their country.
Under the pretext of configuring the devices and installing recreational applications, they retained the purchased items and arranged with the victims to deliver them before their departure. Once they were sure that the tourist had left national territory, they began to make fraudulent charges on their credit cards through the POS terminals of a complex network of multistores located in the south of Tenerife.
The agents of the Economic and Tax Crime Unit, after a long investigation, which had the collaboration of the Deputy Directorate of Customs Surveillance, dismantled the criminal organization in a Police device composed of more than 100 agents from different units of the National Police.
In total, for the time being, the National Police has arrested 33 people for the alleged authorship of the crimes of criminal organization, Money laundering and fraud, has intervened one million euros in cash in the different searches carried out, has blocked a capital of more than one million euros distributed in more than 300 bank accounts and 42 real estate properties, as well as numerous jewels and 17 luxury vehicles, one of them exceeding the value of 160,000 euros.
The main leaders of the organization, 5 men, after being brought to justice, were remanded in custody.
EUROPOL
The investigation by the National Police continues, already in its patrimonial phase, and it is not ruled out that new victims will be identified and new arrests will be made.
For this reason, the National Police has articulated through EUROPOL channels of Police cooperation with the security forces of the countries of the affected countries, to contact the victims, provide them with advice in the process of reporting criminal acts, appear in the process and be compensated for the economic damage that has been caused to them.