The Civil Guardwithin the framework of the so-called operation Oretel, has arrested 14 people and investigated another 20all of them workers at the Sur-Reina Sofía airport in Tenerifeas alleged perpetrators of the crimes of belonging criminal grouprobbery, damage and money laundering.
The operation began after detecting an increase in the number of complaints and complaints filed by travelers due to robberies and robberies inside their checked bags, the direct victims being passengers of different nationalities.
The detainees took advantage of their status as airport workers. When the suitcases were transferred to the plane’s holds, they were loaded and unloaded at a slower pace and with greater distance between them; also They opened the luggage already inside the hold, out of sight of the rest of the users, and punctured the zipper of the suitcases to open them completely.
Once they had stolen the objects that interested them from inside, among which there were jewelry, cell phones, watches, electronic devicesthey closed the zipper again to leave the suitcase without any sign of tampering.
Likewise, so that no one could notice these crimes, the detainees placed the suitcases as a parapet between the access door to the warehouse and its interior, they even placed security curtains, specifically rigid tarpaulins, which are actually intended to secure that the luggage does not move freely inside.
Almost 2 million euros in stolen objects
The members of this criminal group were perfectly structured, with functions defined in a hierarchical manner, where each one was in charge of one of the parts of the commission of the crime: choosing the flight, hiding the stolen effects, removing them from the airport facilities, selling them. of the effects in jewelry stores or through the Internet, distribution of profits, etc.
To hide the objects stolen from the airport, they used clothing with interior seams made manually or their own personal lockers.
The Civil Guard carried out several searches, both in the lockers of these airport workers, as well as in their private vehicles and homes. In total, they intervened 29 high-end watches, 120 pieces of jewelry (gold and precious stones), 22 high-end mobile phones, electronic devices, 13,000 euros in cash and a high-end vehicle.
The value of all the stolen objects recovered amounts to 1,953,571 euros. The detainees also managed to sell many objects in physical and virtual second-hand stores, which is why 27 jewelry stores in the province of Santa Cruz of Tenerife.
The investigation has been carried out by the Fiscal Investigation and Border Analysis Unit (UDAIFF) of the Tenerife South Airport with the support of the Citizen Security Unit (USECIC).
The Civil Guard has had the support of the State Aviation Safety Agency (AESA), Spanish Airports and Air Navigation (AENA), as well as the different airlines that operate at Reina Sofía Airport.
The operation has been directed by the Court of Instruction No. 4 of Granadilla de Abona.
For any clarification you can contact the Press Office of the Civil Guard Command of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, contact telephone number 696943009 or 922648500, ext.1620425-1620608.
