National Police dismantles organisation dedicated to theft and export of catalytic converters

On Saturday, March 18, the National Police confirmed that a total of 29 people have been arrested in the provinces of Malaga, Madrid and Toledo and 15 simultaneous searches have been carried out.

The investigation began last August in Malaga, following the arrest of several people for the theft of catalytic converters. Following these arrests, the agents focused on a criminal organisation dedicated to the theft and subsequent distribution of catalytic converters at national and international levels.

This criminal group, of an itinerant nature, committed the offences throughout Spain, being remarkable in the speed with which they acted. They took only a few minutes to remove the part and returned the same day to their usual homes.

The investigators have managed to identify the different companies involved in receiving the catalytic converters, from the first steps, which were companies located in the Community of Madrid that bought the product directly, to the final company, located in Malaga, which was dedicated to exporting these catalytic converters abroad, specifically to Houston, in the state of Texas (United States).

These companies falsified the invoices for the purchase and sale of the catalytic converters, in an attempt to regularise them in the legal market.

As a result of this investigation, the agents were able to identify the members of the organisation and learn of their involvement in the events, arresting a total of 29 people, including the members of the organisation responsible for stealing the catalytic converters, as well as those responsible for receiving them and falsifying documents related to the sale and purchase of the catalytic converters.

After being handed over to the judicial authorities, six of the most important active members of the criminal organisation were remanded in custody.

Fifteen searches were carried out simultaneously in the provinces of Madrid, Malaga and Toledo in which a large number of catalytic converters and tools for their theft, 40,000 euros in cash, a firearm and ammunition, as well as documentation related to the illegal activity were seized.

Of the total number of arrests, 16 were made in the city of Madrid, three in San Fernando de Henares, two in Leganés, one in Getafe, one in Torrejón de Ardoz, four in Málaga, one in the town of Seseña in Toledo and another in Talavera de la Reina.

In addition, six searches were carried out in Madrid, two in Getafe, one in San Fernando de Henares, one in Torrejón de Ardoz, one in Leganés, three in Málaga and one in Seseña.