This incident drew attention from municipal authorities and the City Guard in Barcelona as a group of youths, many reported to be Honduran nationals, moved at street level in a way that alarmed police. Officers aimed to establish control over public spaces, mirroring tactics once used by feared gangs known as maras that have become a social issue across Central America. The incidents were observed in the Guineueta park area and in the neighborhoods of New Barris, Sant Andreu, and Horta-Guinardo, raising concerns that patterns could spread to other parts of the city. A joint operation by the municipal police and the National Police was launched on a Tuesday afternoon and concluded with the arrest of fifteen individuals linked to a criminal organization.
Sources consulted by El Periódico de Catalunya, part of the Prensa Ibérica group, indicate that the observation carried out by municipal officers shows that the youth involved have not only copied gang tactics to occupy parks and squares but have also engaged in violent robberies and some aggressive acts. This pattern could be seen as an initiation behavior, suggesting deeper involvement in organized activity rather than random delinquency.
To gain entry into a gang, leaders often subject applicants to stringent tests. Some of these tests, while severe, are framed as criminal acts that occur in the country of origin rather than in Spain. In this case, the possible tests included robbery or assault rather than homicide, which has been observed in certain Central American contexts. Local schools noted trouble among some students, and city guards conducted arrests and identifications. The General Information Commissioner of the National Police team became aware of the police activity as investigators gathered information.
Secret leader in Barcelona
This National Police unit received reports from the United States about a Honduran man over forty years old who had settled in Barcelona and was linked to the Barrio 18 gang in Central America. According to El Periódico de Catalunya, state agents monitored his movements as he sought to build a gang presence in the Catalan capital modeled on Salvadoran groups. The aim, according to the sources, was to foster criminal activity at the direction of others, establishing a leadership role that stood out for its extremes within this category.
The National Police coordinated with the City Guard, offering the municipality a plan for a joint investigation and the sharing of evidence collected by both sides. The Barcelona officers had observed shifts in behavior among certain youths, while state authorities, drawing on information from abroad, scrutinized the leader and the adults believed to be under his command.
Police operation
After months of work and with a Barcelona court declaring the investigation secret, the two forces carried out an operation on Tuesday that resulted in the arrest of fifteen members of the organization who had arrived in Barcelona from Honduras under the leadership of the main figure. The majority of those detained were Honduran nationals and all were minors, focusing on the most structured component of the network. Investigators classified the group as a criminal organization and linked them to threats and drug trafficking as part of their activities.
Law enforcement conducted searches across four residences, two in Nou Barris, one in Sant Andreu, and one in L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, in addition to a bar in Nou Barris. The leader frequently visited the bar, which had become a gathering point for the operations. The dismantling showcased the effort to cut off the core of the network while the rest of the group continued to operate under his direction.
The National Police are coordinating with the UCRIF unit, Center for Illegal Immigration Networks and Document Fraud, to review the detainees’ legal status in Spain and to assess deportation proceedings for those found to be irregular. Forensic investigations are ongoing as authorities piece together the scope and structure of the organization and the roles of those involved.