Fake police gang members have been sentenced to prison for posing as officers to hijack drug-laden trucks across Catalonia.
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Four of the five arrested suspects now face provisional imprisonment following coordinated police operations between Mossos d’Esquadra and Navarra’s regional force.
Fake police gang targeted international drug routes
The investigation began in late April following two nearly identical robberies in Arazuri, Navarra and Celrà, Gironès. According to authorities, the group specialised in identifying trucks arriving from North Africa that concealed narcotics within legitimate cargo. Furthermore, they employed sophisticated tactics including firearms and realistic police insignia to convince drivers of their authenticity.
Principal Commissioner Miguel Ruiz of Navarra’s Criminal Investigation Area detailed how the first robbery unfolded in an Arazuri industrial estate. Consequently, the victim had just parked his truck carrying electrical vehicle components from Morocco when two cars surrounded him. Several individuals emerged displaying police badges, handcuffed the driver, and forced him into one vehicle while another gang member drove the truck towards Catalonia.
Violent methods exposed during transport heists
During the journey, the truck driver suffered multiple assaults as his captors demanded information about hidden hashish. Meanwhile, investigators later discovered the gang employed similar violent methods during a second robbery in Celrà just two days later. Three men brandishing firearms and police identification assaulted two drivers arriving from Tangier, handcuffed them, confiscated their documentation and phones, then drove away with their vehicle.
The Mossos’ Superintendent Carlos Otamendi confirmed police immediately recognised the operation’s signature. “We quickly realised this could be a well-known organisation in Catalonia,” he stated. Additionally, the gang leader reportedly accumulated 44 prior police records for robberies, public health offences and drug-related assaults, with authorities tracking the group since 2007. This case follows recent significant drug enforcement operations across the region.
Victims remained unaware they transported concealed narcotics, becoming collateral damage in criminal networks exploiting their vehicles. In the Navarra case, the driver was eventually released between Cunit and Cubelles alongside his truck cabin. He recovered the trailer two days later nearby, though with damaged merchandise and vehicle bodywork. The incident highlights how Barcelona’s strategic location makes it vulnerable to sophisticated drug trafficking operations.
Joint police operations between October 13-15 led to the arrests, with investigators describing the fake police gang as “highly specialised and violent”. The coordinated effort demonstrates improved inter-regional police cooperation in tackling organised crime networks operating across jurisdictional boundaries.
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