Trinitarios gang leader Waltel Yasmani F., known as ‘Pukita’, has been arrested in a major joint police operation across Barcelona and its metropolitan area.

The historic leader of the Dominican-origin criminal organisation was one of 15 people detained on Tuesday for crimes including violent robbery, drug trafficking, attempted homicide, and currency forgery.

More than 300 officers from the Mossos d’Esquadra and the National Police participated in the coordinated raids.

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Consequently, the operation targeted properties in Barcelona, L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, Esplugues, Sant Boi, Cubelles, and Salou.

Major Operation Targets Trinitarios Gang Leadership

Pukita, considered a sub-chief of the dismantled organisation, was already in prison when the investigation began earlier this year. Furthermore, police sources indicate that four other primary targets were also incarcerated. The alleged overall leader, Joel Alexander M., described by agents as the gang’s European chief, was arrested separately in Salou, Tarragona.

The case originated from a shooting in February at Plaça de Guernica in L’Hospitalet, where a man survived being shot at least six times. The suspect’s vehicle fled the scene and was later found crashed on the C-31 in Barcelona. This incident led both police forces to identify overlapping suspects and launch their joint investigation.

Authorities describe the group as a structured criminal organisation involved in robberies and drug trafficking, and which had access to firearms. Additionally, they are linked to other violent episodes, including a June incident in Montigalà, Badalona, where two people were shot and a minor was stabbed.

Police have seized firearms, bladed weapons, cash, and computer and telephone equipment during the raids. The operation, named ‘Sixhole’ by the Mossos and ‘Rosari’ by the National Police, remains open and subject to judicial secrecy.

Pukita’s criminal history is extensive. He was previously convicted for the 2012 assault on a young man trying to leave the gang, where he was accused of ‘making the X’ on the victim’s back—a known gang punishment. Investigators describe him as a consolidated criminal who has always held leadership roles since the Trinitarios established themselves in Catalonia in 2007.

This major crackdown follows a period where such gangs had seemingly disappeared from police radar. However, recent operations by national and regional forces suggest a resurgence. The Mossos maintain a sceptical view of this resurgence as traditional gang warfare, considering the activity purely criminal and detached from specific gang affiliation disputes over territory and drug trade control.

The arrest highlights ongoing concerns about organised crime networks in the region. This operation follows other significant police actions, including the recent seizure of 3kg of methamphetamine by Barcelona’s Urban Guard in a dramatic traffic stop on the Diagonal. Meanwhile, the city continues to address complex social challenges, as seen in the sobering report that Barcelona mourned 69 homeless deaths in a single year.

According to the original report in El País, the Trinitarios gang leader arrest represents a significant blow to one of the region’s most notorious criminal groups. The successful joint operation demonstrates improved coordination between Catalonia’s regional and national police forces in tackling serious and organised crime.

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