National Police agents have arrested 40 people from two criminal networks, one operating with extortion by hitman and another dedicated to human trafficking for sexual exploitation, with branches in the Canary Islands. In this operation, agents have freed three women. The Court has ordered the imprisonment of seven of them.
According to the National Police, nine searches of homes have been carried out in Valencia and Fuerteventura, seizing three marijuana plantations, eleven fighting roosters, two handguns, and 3,600 euros.
An investigation led by a court in Castellón
The Court of Instruction 1 of Castellón began this investigation in May 2025, after receiving the complaint from a person who had requested sexual services online and who received a call made by someone posing as the boss of the advertised women's club.
During it, the supposed boss reproached him for having made them waste time and demanded the immediate payment of an amount of approximately 5,000 euros, for the inconvenience and the debt generated through "a coercive and threatening discourse".
As the investigations progressed, they verified that there were 80 complaints with a similar pattern throughout the national territory. After several inquiries, the organization's operational core was located in the Valencia area, from where they managed recruitment, intimidating communication, and the channeling of the abundant profits obtained.
They massively published ads of women
The modus operandi of this organization consisted of massively publishing false ads of women on dating websites and once they contacted the associated phone numbers, they initiated the extortion phase. They made the victims believe that they had incurred a debt with the brothel or with the security personnel for not attending the appointment or for having disrespected the employees.
They played with the component of shame and the fear that the close circle of prostitution consumers would know that they consumed sexual services, being a tool of the network to pressure them to pay relevant amounts of money.
Connection with another branch established in Fuerteventura
This network was linked to a couple settled in Fuerteventura who sexually exploited women recruited through false job offers disseminated on social networks and contact portals.
The victims were being transferred from the peninsula and other islands, being subjected to abusive conditions, permanent control, restriction of movement, and total dependence on the exploiters. Investigators were able to verify the existence of a structured exploitation system, with constant rotation of women in an irregular administrative situation and high economic benefits.
The investigators discovered that they had an agreement that consisted of supplying information about their clients for subsequent extortion. Thus, they were able to verify that the group settled on the Canary Island facilitated data of users of sexual services to the other network in exchange for 50 euros for each of them.
Cockfighting: one of its methods for money laundering
At the top of the organization were the main leaders who directed, administered, and distributed the money, published and renewed advertisements, and carried out threats and extortion communications. At the next level were the recruiters of the mules, in charge of recruiting them, directing them, and managing the commissions that were to be sent to the mules for each account or line opening.
Finally, at the base of the network, were the mules who provided their documentation for the opening of telephone lines in their name and bank accounts, receiving payments from the victims. The organization had a high level of development and operational capacity, obtaining significant economic benefits from these acts which they laundered into other criminal activities such as drug trafficking and illegal cockfighting.
The main members adopted self-protection measures to hinder their identity and location in hard-to-access environments, using intermediaries, line rotation, and multiple payment accounts.
Two people arrested in Fuerteventura for sexual exploitation
During the exploitation phase in Valencia, eight home searches were carried out where three indoor marijuana plantations, 11 fighting roosters, two handguns, and 1,700 euros in cash were located and seized. Finally, 38 people were arrested, with the judicial authority ordering five to enter provisional prison. The crimes imputed to the alleged perpetrators are extortion, criminal organization, money laundering, against public health, illicit possession of weapons, and animal abuse.
On the other hand, a search was carried out in a brothel apartment, where four telephone terminals used for advertising and communication with clients, 1,600 euros, and documentation proving the facts were seized. Two people were arrested, both entering provisional prison for the crimes of belonging to a criminal organization, human trafficking for sexual exploitation, relating to prostitution, and facilitating irregular immigration. In addition, three victims of human trafficking were freed.
