The Romanian gang dismantled by the Civil Guard seized a loot of more than 5 million euros in jewelry in Lanzarote in three different robberies, according to the Benemérita, which has now announced that there are five and not six detainees, as it had initially reported. Three people were arrested in Lanzarote, another in Barcelona and the fifth in Constanza (Romania). The detainees in Spain, two men and two women, were placed at the disposal of the Judicial Authority, who ordered their imprisonment.
This was announced this Thursday by the Civil Guard in a press conference convened to report on this operation, baptized as Operation Kalax II, which was carried out by the Organized Crime Team of the Canary Islands belonging to the Central Operational Unit (UCO) and the Organic Unit of the Judicial Police (UOPJ) of the Las Palmas Command and culminated on July 6. The detainees are accused of crimes of robbery with force and integration into an international criminal organization. Two European arrest warrants were also issued, one of which led to the arrest of one of the members in Romania. Likewise, part of the effects stolen in Lanzarote and Romania has been recovered.
Operation Kalax II began after the robbery that took place on June 8 at the Santos Jewelry store in Puerto del Carmen, in which the thieves seized a loot of 4.7 million euros in various pieces of jewelry, diamonds and high-end watches. The figure exceeds the one initially estimated by the owner of the establishment, who spoke of 3.5 million.
A few months earlier, on December 8, 2017, another robbery had occurred with the same modus operandi, using the method of the 'butrón', in one of the jewelry stores of the same business group, in which they stole a large number of high-end watches and jewelry valued at 540,000 euros. As a result of this robbery, the Civil Guard began an investigation called Kalax I and, due to the indications that related both events to the criminal organization now dismantled, Operation Kalax II began.
In addition, the investigators were able to relate this organization to another robbery committed with identical nature on March 24 in the municipality of Tías, stealing this time jewelry and watches valued at about 40,000 euros.
Professionals "with high preparation" who operate throughout the EU
The Civil Guard points out that this criminal organization, made up of people of Romanian nationality, specializes in the commission of this type of act, and is made up of "professionals with high preparation, who divide specific tasks for the perpetration of large-scale robberies, preferably in jewelry stores." It has been found that they usually operate throughout the territory of the European Union, not ruling out their relationship with similar events that have occurred in other countries.
During the investigation, the Civil Guard found out that some of the members of the criminal organization intended to take several flights to leave the island, precipitating the arrest of three in Lanzarote and one in Barcelona, and recovering at that moment part of the stolen jewelry.
International collaboration
Given the hypothesis that part of what was stolen had already been sent outside the national territory, steps were taken with the police and judicial authorities in Romania in order to locate suspicious places and people in that country. This collaboration led to the performance of six home searches in the city of Constanza by operational units of that country, assisted by investigators of the Civil Guard deployed for that purpose and who had carried the weight of the operation, seizing a large number of pieces of jewelry belonging to the three robberies investigated.
The investigators found that some members of this criminal organization had already been arrested years ago in other European countries such as Germany and Italy. In this last country they were nicknamed 'La banda del Buco' (The Hole Gang), for a robbery they perpetrated in the city of Alessandria (Italy) of the same characteristics as the one committed in Lanzarote.
'Mules' to transport the jewelry
From the study of the criminal activity of the criminal organization in question, "it was determined that part of the components initially move to the place where the criminal offenses are going to be committed, in order to prepare the robbery and study the objective, analyzing well how to access the business." "A few hours after committing the robbery, the perpetrators carry out a staggered exit operation using different routes, without making any contact between them, leaving only one member of the organization in our country who guards the loot and organizes the transport of the stolen goods to Romania through other members of the organization, mules who enter Spain pretending to be tourists," they detail from the Benemérica.
The detainees in Spain, two men and two women, were placed at the disposal of the Judicial Authority, who ordered their imprisonment. On the other hand, and in compliance with one of the European arrest warrants, in the early morning of July 24, the Romanian Police proceeded to arrest another of the investigated.
Operation KALAX II has been coordinated by the Investigating Court number 2 of Arrecife, having participated, among other units of the Civil Guard, the Organized Crime Team of the Canary Islands (ECO), belonging to the Central Operational Unit (UCO) and the UOPJ of the Las Palmas Command. Various units of the Romanian police, the Prosecutor's Office of the Directorate of Investigation against Organized Crime and Terrorism of Constanza (Romania), as well as the Interior Attaché of the Embassy of Spain in Romania have also participated.