A criminal organization in Palma de Mallorca, Spain, was taken down by the Spanish police, with the assistance of Italy and the US. Apart from laundering drug money, some of the arrested people were taken into custody for offering illegal gambling services.
Criminals from Different Countries Were Involved
Swedes, Russians, Germans and Kosovo Albanians were also part of the organization, the investigation uncovers. According to Majorca Daily Bulletin, the Spanish National Police, Europol and the Civil Guard led a joint effort which led to a dozen of arrests.
The investigation against the criminal organization began 2 years ago after the National Police and Civil Guard of Spain had 2 successful anti-drug actions.
The silent investigation tracked the money all the way to Belgium where additional raids were made. In Mallorca, Spanish authorities apprehended the suspects at Can Valero industrial buildings in the region of sa Llotja. Then, the raids continued in Andratx and Calvià.
The US Drug Enforcement Agency, the FBI, as well as the Anti-Mafia Investigation Directorate of Italy aided in the arrests, while the Civil Guard Command was the controlling center. In a combined effort, these authorities raided several locations, one of which was the Ritzi restaurant, located in Puerto Portals. During this raid, police apprehended the owner of the restaurant.
According to investigators, all of the arrested individuals were part of one of Europe’s biggest drug trafficking organizations. The individuals were taken to Command of the Civil Guard, where they remain in jail and are waiting for a judge to determine their punishment.
Spain Wants to Create a Safer Gambling Environment
Authorities from all around the world are cracking down on criminal organizations, especially those connected to illegal gambling. A recent raid in an illegal gambling den in Hong Kong led to the death of two men, who fell 10 stories while trying to escape authorities.
Spanish police want to make sure that these events do not take place, which is why it wants to regulate the gambling industry in the most effective way possible. In July last year, the government proposed new gambling rules that are designed to clamp down on illegal gambling. The national competition authority of the country, Comision Nacional de los Mercados y la Competencia has expressed its support for these rules.
The draft Royal Decree is still a work in progress, but it includes provisions for mandatory loss as well as time limits for casino sessions of all players. The decree’s main goal is to prevent addictive behavior and protect the consumers. The massive engagement by Spanish authorities in terms of creating a safe gambling environment is the reason why the country is among the nations in Europe that have the lowest rate of harm related to gambling.