The Alicante Civil Guard recently dismantled a criminal organization believed to have defrauded numerous victims by a scheme involving sea containers. In a coordinated operation, the group allegedly sought to profit from purchasing sea containers, with a target of around 30,000 euros, but their plan did not come to fruition as authorities intervened.
During the Steiner operation, all members of the gang were either arrested or placed under investigation. One man and two women became central figures in the case, with police records documenting their involvement in acts of fraud and related offenses.
The events trace back to 2022 when a citizen filed a complaint that exposed the scam linked to the sale of sea containers for 4,500 euros. The investigation revealed that the fraud began with a contact made through a well-known social network, where the perpetrator and the victim communicated via messages. The agreements involved paying for the containers through a wire transfer, but after the payment was made, the victim did not receive the promised material and could not contact the author again.
Researchers from the Novelda Territorial Unit undertook the case to clarify the facts and locate the alleged perpetrators, launching the Esteiner operation to carry out the inquiry and bring those responsible to justice.
In the initial phase of the operation, investigators identified two Hispanic women, aged 44 and 21, who lived in the towns of Elda and Cartagena. They were entrusted with receiving funds obtained through fraud and subsequently moving those proceeds to an account controlled by a foreign entity linked to a third party.
The investigators then traveled to Elda and Cartagena, where the suspects were detained on October 4 and November 22, 2022, after proving their involvement in the crimes under investigation. Further steps in the investigation led to the detainment of additional individuals and the reinforcement of the case against the alleged criminal network.
Continuing the inquiry, authorities identified a ringleader, an approximately 68-year-old Spaniard residing in Alcalá la Real. He is being investigated by the police units in Jaén for participation in the criminal scheme and related fraud offenses. Both the detainees and those under investigation are facing charges in relation to the alleged criminal organization and fraud, with the Novelda Education Court presiding over the case.
To date, the Civil Guard has established that around 20 fraud incidents occurred across various municipalities in the national region, collectively amounting to more than 30,000 euros deceived from victims. The investigation remains active, and authorities do not rule out the possibility of additional victims coming forward as they continue their work.
For those who engage in online shopping, the following precautions are advised to help prevent scams:
To shop online:
- Purchase from trusted sites
- Check reviews and ratings
- Verify the website domain
- Use a debit or credit card for payments
- Monitor charges on your account or card
- Keep all purchase documents
- Check payment gateways for security
- Avoid sharing card numbers or CVV codes
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