National police forces dismantled a pervasive counterfeit operation that controlled warehousing, distribution, and retail of high-quality fake goods. The four-month investigation, coordinated by the Elche National Police Station, the Murcia National Police Station, and the Crevillente Local Police, led to a sweeping crackdown in eastern Spain.
The inquiry began after investigators identified multiple models of authentic-looking counterfeit products in Elche and Crevillente. The probe focused on locating the central hub where the illegal supply chain originated and operated, with the nerve center traced to San Andrés in Murcia, where the criminal network managed the sale of counterfeit items distributed along the Levantine coast.
cover of the frame
Authorities learned that the organization used a public drug store near the Murcia bus station as a front. This site served as the operational nerve center, while no counterfeit goods were sold directly from the storefront in the public eye.
Customers first contacted the operation at this store. There, they presented the items they sought, and the store manager would then call another member of the network to identify the concrete location where the product existed. Each floor of the building functioned as a separate storefront for a different category—one floor for slippers, another for sportswear and football kits, another for perfumes, and so on, with additional goods on other levels.
As a security measure, keys to the apartment-like spaces were guarded, and items such as robes, gowns, and jackets were scattered about to obscure evidence in case of a police raid.
Floors distributed as stores and warehouses with definite stock
The client was taken to the “shop floor,” which was arranged to resemble a real retail environment. Mannequins, shelves, and other furnishings mirrored a genuine store layout, designed to mislead inspectors and buyers alike.
These apartment units, situated on the same street and a short distance from the storefront, housed guards who lived there to conceal the counterfeit stock and deter rival networks from stealing merchandise, treating it almost like a controlled drug operation.
In addition to the front store setup, four nearby warehouses stored sufficient stock to sustain ongoing sales if the apartment stock ran low. Raw goods were kept in boxes, and the entire operation marked the transition from makeshift stores to a wider distribution network.
Key to successful illegal trade
Several factors fueled the venture’s profitability. A broad spectrum of counterfeit items—ranging from luxury apparel to high-end watches, football jerseys, perfumes, coats, and other prestige goods—was coordinated through a logistic network that extended through the residential area. The organization exploited multiple buildings around the Murcia bus station to maintain cover and facilitate illegal activity.
50+ agents and 10 simultaneous recordings
One major challenge for the authorities was overcoming the organization’s stringent security measures, described locally as “watchful sentinels” positioned at street corners to alert the group the moment police actions began. After a thorough investigation, a large-scale operation was planned with more than 50 police officers and 10 simultaneous actions across several buildings in the San Andrés district of Murcia. Three principal members of the network were arrested during the concurrent raids.
The total value of confiscated counterfeit goods was estimated to be substantial, with expert assessments pending for exact tallies. Early indications place the value well into the tens of millions of euros, underscoring the scale of the disruption to illicit supply chains.
Among the items seized were roughly 15,000 football jerseys, 30,000 sweatshirts, 1,000 perfumes, 5,000 pairs of jeans, 10,000 pairs of briefs, and thousands of coats and jackets from renowned brands, along with hundreds of other pieces of counterfeit merchandise.
The operation was supported by the Elche Police Station’s Special and Violent Crimes Unit, the Technological Crimes Group of the Murcia National Police Headquarters, and the Crevillente Local Police, Alicante. A group of Moroccan nationals, aged 39 to 56, faced charges related to industrial property crimes and membership in a criminal organization, and were brought before the courts for adjudication.