Daniel Stephan, alleged partner of Clénder Javier Chinea, leader of the largest hashish and cocaine trafficking organization in the Canary Islands, has been imprisoned after being arrested in Lanzarote. Stephan, of Romanian nationality, lived in a luxurious villa on the island, with a private pool and a high-end Mercedes car, from where he allegedly supervised the introduction and distribution of drugs in Lanzarote and Fuerteventura. His imprisonment represents an important blow to the network, which had 34 detainees, 18 of them sent to provisional prison by order of the judge of the Court of Instruction number 3 of Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
The leader of the organization
Clénder Javier Chinea Chinea was the alleged undisputed leader of the dismantled group. Until his arrest, he led a relatively discreet life in the Los Gladiolos neighborhood, in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, although he owned several hospitality and nightlife businesses in strategic points of the island, such as Avenida de Anaga, Plaza de España or Las Caletillas, in Candelaria. In addition, Chinea had interests in construction companies, gyms, buying and selling cars and renting vehicles, some of which would have been used to transport drugs.
Operation Silbo, which dismantled one of the most active criminal organizations in the country with its epicenter in the Canary Islands, was carried out after more than two years of investigation by the Central Operative Unit (UCO) of the Civil Guard and the Customs Surveillance Service of the Tax Agency. The investigation also had the collaboration of the DEA and the Judicial Police of Cape Verde, coordinated by EUROPOL, and culminated with 34 detainees and 40 searches carried out in different parts of the country.
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