A joint police operation across Spain and Sweden successfully dismantled a violent criminal network involved in illegal gambling. Coordinated by the European Union law enforcement agency Europol, nearly 150 police officers conducted simultaneous raids at multiple locations in both countries at the end of November, arresting 5 core suspects and seizing luxury goods and cash worth hundreds of thousands of euros. Preliminary investigations indicate that the criminal network's annual turnover is estimated to be as high as 20 million euros, involving money laundering, drug trafficking, and other serious crimes.
Operation Thunder: Cross-border Synchronized Searches and Arrests
This joint enforcement storm took place from November 28 to 29. Police searched six locations in Sweden and two in Murcia, Spain. During the operation, five suspects were arrested—three in Sweden and two in Spain. In addition to cash, the police also confiscated many luxury watches, with a total value quite substantial. More shockingly, in a property in Sweden used as an illegal gambling club, police also found drugs prepared for resale and possible signs of human trafficking.
Criminal Network: Violent Monopoly and Multiple Illegal Services
According to Europol, the arrested suspects are core members of a local criminal network, known for using violence and intimidation. They ensured revenue, collected debts, and controlled part of the illegal gambling market in the Stockholm area through these means. The gang not only operated illegal gambling themselves but also provided money laundering services for other criminal groups, playing a "key role" in the entire criminal environment. The investigation also found that their activities were linked to drug trafficking in Sweden and the entire Nordic region.
The Bigger Picture: Europol-led Coordinated Strike Strategy
This operation is not an isolated case, but part of a multi-agency coordinated strategy of the European Union, aimed at "systematically" dismantling networks that endanger communities and rely on international criminal connections. Europol plays a central role in this, responsible for linking international intelligence with local law enforcement actions. "By connecting cross-border authorities of different countries, Europol ensures that information collected in one jurisdiction can be transformed into operational results in another place—even on the streets of Stockholm." This highlights the importance of international cooperation in combating increasingly transnational and networked illegal gambling crimes.
(For more information on global gambling regulation and enforcement dynamics, follow the PASA official website industry news section.)
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This article is from "PASA-Global iGaming Leaders" gambling industry news channel:https://t.me/pasa_news
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