Barcelona’s metro became the focus of a massive police operation this weekend as officers carried out the eighth edition of Operation Kanpai, a coordinated crackdown on repeat offenders and the networks that profit from stolen goods.
Nearly 1,000 officers took part, including Mossos d’Esquadra, the National Police, local municipal forces and private security staff. The emphasis this time was on so-called ‘receptadores’, those who buy stolen items without questioning their origin.
In the metro system alone, more than 10,000 people were stopped and identified. Of these, 448 received administrative fines, almost all for travelling without a ticket. The broader sweep resulted in 75 arrests, 20 people placed under investigation and a further 4,600 identifications. Collectively, those detained had amassed over 12,000 previous police records.
Police also inspected phone repair shops, gold-buying businesses and call centres, all seen as potential outlets for goods stolen in the city. The action extended beyond Barcelona to other major metropolitan areas including Santa Coloma and Badalona.
Authorities say the aim of Kanpai is to send a clear message that impunity will no longer be tolerated. Each large-scale identification is intended to break the perception that petty crime is ignored.
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