Joint operation by the Tax Agency and the National Police

• 16 people arrested in Las Palmas, Tenerife, Madrid and A Coruña with twelve home searches carried out
• The organization was linked to ultra-violent football movements
• 250,000 doses of anabolic medicinal products have been intervened and it is estimated that the organization received close to a ton in one year

April 21, 2023.- Customs Surveillance Officials of the Tax Agency and agents of the National Police have arrested in the provinces of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Tenerife, Madrid and A Coruña sixteen people for their alleged participation in crimes involving membership in a criminal organization and against public health.

The operation has been developed jointly by the Customs Surveillance Service and the National Police, under the direction of the Investigative Court number 1 of Coslada.

The investigation began in April of last year when the agents received news that trafficking of anabolic hormonal substances was taking place from Bulgaria and Portugal to Spain. After carrying out the investigation, it was found that the recipient of the packages containing these substances would also have a relationship with football groups with radical ideology.

The 'modus operandi' of this organization would be based on the receipt of illegal medicinal substances (hormonal anabolics) that were sent to Spain from countries such as Portugal, Bulgaria or the United Kingdom.

Once in Spain, two cells of the organization, from the provinces of Madrid and La Coruña, received these substances and sent them to the Canary Islands by postal parcel, trying to evade border controls, and using the affiliation of third parties.

Almost a ton of anabolics in one year

With this 'modus operandi', the organization, during the year 2022, would have imported a quantity of more than 900 kilos of anabolics, which provided its members with enormous benefits that supported the high standard of living that they flaunted on social networks. .

After an investigation that lasted almost a year, on March 22, the police force was established to arrest a total of 16 people and carry out twelve simultaneous searches in the provinces of Tenerife, Las Palmas, Madrid and A Coruña. .

As a result of these searches, some 250,000 doses of illegal anabolic medicinal products have been seized. Likewise, other narcotic substances, cash, computer equipment that will be analyzed and abundant documentation on shipments made by the network were seized.

The detainees were brought before the courts of the various affected judicial districts, with the head of the Investigative Court No. 1 of Coslada (Madrid) being the one hearing the case.