Six arrested in Tenerife over stolen luxury car scam
A criminal gang involved in forging documents and selling stolen high-end cars has been shut down in Tenerife following a major police operation. Six people have been arrested and 13 luxury vehicles seized after a 15-month investigation.
The joint operation carried out by the Guardia Civil and the National Police uncovered a network that imported stolen cars from abroad before making them appear legal. Once in Spain, the group altered official paperwork to disguise the vehicles’ true origins.
Officers say the gang used a sophisticated method to avoid detection. This included fitting cloned number plates linked to identical makes and models, allowing the cars to circulate without raising suspicion.
The vehicles were then advertised on social media and offered for sale or rent, generating very high profits while appearing legitimate. Investigators believe the operation was well organised and financially lucrative.
A key phase of the investigation involved a property search in El Médano, in Granadilla de Abona. Inside, officers discovered a large quantity of equipment linked to the illegal activity, including vehicle keys, registration documents, mobile phones, SIM cards, laptops and more than €15,000 in cash.
A car parked outside the property was also seized after checks revealed its number plate did not match its official records. All items were hidden throughout the home in an apparent attempt to avoid detection.
Among those arrested was the suspected ringleader, who has been released pending trial. Police say enquiries remain ongoing to locate additional vehicles and identify anyone else connected to the network.
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