The National Police and the Guardia Civil have arrested five people in the south of Tenerife, all males aged between 23 and 33 years old, suspected of committing crimes ranging from burglary, armed robbery, money laundering, being members of a criminal gang, drug trafficking, and illegal possession of firearms. So far, the authorities have managed to link 25 burglaries to the detainees.
The investigation started in November last year, following a burglary in a house in the town of Icod de Los Vinos. Initial inquiries led to information about a vehicle associated with the crime, which was later identified in subsequent burglaries, which led to a joint operation by the National Police and the Guardia Civil as they were both investigating the group behind them.
It was soon discovered that the group's modus operandi involved breaking the locks on homes using tools to get in within seconds. Once inside, they quickly stole jewellery and cash, leaving the property within minutes.
However, thanks to the collaborative efforts and information gathered by both police forces, some of the vehicles used in the burglaries were identified which led them to the addresses of the registered owners.
After being granted the correct search warrants, five raids were conducted at the homes of the accused in the towns of Candelaria, Arona, and San Miguel de Abona, during which they seized items related to the investigated crimes, along with a wide array of jewellery and watches, two firearms, an airsoft gun, 380 grams of cocaine, 40 grams of hashish, and numerous electronic devices.
Additionally, two vehicles belonging to the suspects were seized, with their financing suspected to have come from the proceeds of the robberies they had committed.
Various units from both forces took part in the operation, including the Organic Unit of Judicial Police of the Guardia Civil in Santa Cruz and the National Police of Puerto de la Cruz-Los Realejos, all conducted under the order of the Court of First Instance and Instruction number 1 of Icod de los Vinos.
