Civil Guardwithin the framework of the so-called operation orel, He arrested 14 people and investigated 20 peopleall Workers at Sur-Reina Sofia airport in Tenerifeas the alleged perpetrators of crimes belonging to criminal grouprobbery, damage and money laundering.
After the detection, the operation started Increase in the number of complaints and complaints from travelers Due to robberies and robberies of checked luggage, the direct victims are passengers of different nationalities.
The detainees took advantage of their status as airport employees. When suitcases were transferred to the aircraft’s holds, they were loaded and unloaded at a slower pace and with greater distance between them; Moreover They opened the luggage, which was already inside the luggage, out of sight of other users, and opened the zipper of the suitcases completely by drilling them.
They once stole from inside objects that interested them; jewelry, mobile phones, watches, electronic devicesThey zipped it back up so that the suitcase remained without any signs of tampering.
Likewise, so that no one would notice these crimes, the detainees placed the suitcases as railings between the entrance door of the warehouse and the inside of the warehouse, and even installed security curtains, especially hard tarpaulins, to ensure the safe movement of the luggage. Do not move freely inside.
Stolen objects worth approximately 2 million euros
Members of this criminal group were perfectly structured with hierarchically defined functions; Each was responsible for some part of committing the crime: choosing the flight, hiding the stolen items, removing them from the airport. facilities, the sale of their effects in jewelers or over the internet, profit distribution, etc.
Clothes with hand-stitched inseams or their own personal lockers were used to store items stolen from the airport.
Civil Guard carried out Numerous searches were carried out in the lockers, private vehicles and homes of these airport employees. They intervened in total 29 high-end watches, 120 pieces of jewelery (gold and precious stones), 22 high-end mobile phones, electronic devices, 13,000 euros in cash and a high-end vehicle.
The value of all stolen objects seized amounts to 1,953,571 Euros. The detainees also managed to sell a large number of items in physical and virtual second-hand stores, so 27 jewelry stores in the state of Santa Cruz de Tenerife are also being investigated.
The investigation was conducted by the Tenerife South Airport Financial Investigation and Border Analysis Unit (UDAIFF) with support from the Citizen Security Unit (USECIC).
The Civil Guard had the support of the State Aviation Safety Agency (AESA), the Spanish Airports and Air Navigation (AENA), as well as the different airlines operating at Reina Sofia Airport.
The operation was directed by Instruction Court No. 4 of Granadilla de Abona.
For any clarification you can contact the Santa Cruz de Tenerife Civil Guard Command Press Office, telephone number 696943009 or 922648500, ext. 1620425-1620608.