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Agents of the Spanish National Police and the Catalan Regional Police (Mossos d’Esquadra) arrested 14 people they linked to the Sinaloa Cartel and who They allegedly participated in the kidnapping and murder

The police statement said the investigation began on August 5 when the body of a man was found with signs of violence and was in a state of severe decomposition, in a wooded area of ​​the municipality of Botarell (Tarragona).

He explained that the investigation has already been underway since June last year, after The victim’s father and wife were exposed in Kosvo and Italy. accordingly, the kidnapping of his relative in the Catalan city of Barcelona.

They assured that the kidnappers demanded a ransom of 240,000 euros.Therefore, a team of the National Police and the Catalan Police set about identifying the criminals.

The investigation established that the man was kidnapped by members of a criminal organization. from May 31 to June 2. Subsequently, the victim’s relatives in Kosovo received a letter from the kidnappers demanding to pay 240 thousand euros for his release. providing a photograph as proof of life.

A few days later, the family contacted agents and reported that they made a payment in cryptocurrency taking into account the pressure applied and subject to once again obtaining evidence that the victim is alive. Specifically, they made a payment of $32,000 to a virtual cryptocurrency wallet, following the organization’s instructions to make the money difficult to trace, but never received any news of the victim, and the kidnappers continued to demand more payments.

During the investigation, cybercrime specialists were able to identify several people involved in this transaction and directly related to the kidnapping.

Likewise, the research team found several signs inside the car in which the victim was traveling from Italy to Barcelona and that it was in a municipal warehouse. Everything indicated that in this car the kidnappers transported his body from his house located in Sant Andreu de Llavaneres (Barcelona) to a remote forested area of ​​the city of Botarell (Tarragona). The victim’s lifeless body was discovered by investigators on August 5 in a state of advanced decomposition.

Links to the Sinaloa Cartel

Spanish police said the suspected kidnappers, linked to the Sinaloa Cartel, are linked to international drug trafficking crimes, money laundering crimes, kidnappings and murders.

“They received packages of Mexican origin with methamphetamine soaked in clothing, which they sent to Catalonia from Mexico and already in Spain they carried out the process of extracting the drug in their laboratory. Although they lived in Maresme and Barcelona, ​​most of them had strong international mobility to several European countries and Mexico,” he explained.

Police searched the homes of the suspected kidnappers, most of whom were Mexican, leading to the dismantling of a Sinaloa cartel cell.

The operations were launched in Barcelona, ​​Sant Andreu de Llavaneres (Barcelona), Sant Sebría de Valalta (Barcelona) and Cabrils (Barcelona), during which 14 people were arrested, including the alleged organizer of the kidnapping and the leader of the group organization.

During the searches, five houses and a restaurant were carried outthere was a laboratory for the extraction of methamphetamine infused into hard surfaces. such as items of clothing, as well as ready-to-use methamphetamine, large quantities of ecstasy and a marijuana plantation.

Firearms, technological materials and money were also seized, as well as evidence directly related to the abduction and murder of the man. lThe detainees – 11 men and 3 women – range from 30 to 70 years old.

Victim, 46 years old, Presumably he worked in the organization and came from Italy to Barcelona to meet with some of the leaders of the criminal network.

Investigative Court No. 2 of Reus maintained the secrecy of the trial throughout the investigation so as not to jeopardize any ongoing efforts to dismantle the criminal organization. After revealing the secret, the agents They informed the victim’s relatives about his death and the location of the body.