A network laundering assets worth 20 million euros has been dismantled in Cantabria.

In a police operation that has been echoed across the country, the National Police have succeeded in uncovering a criminal organization involved in laundering money derived from human trafficking in the Cantabria region. The operation was carried out in several Spanish provinces and led to the arrest of five people who face charges of organizing a criminal group, money laundering and other additional crimes. Large amounts of cash, weapons and numerous financial assets, including real estate and bank accounts, were seized and blocked.

The searches uncovered extensive documents, weapons including firearms, an electric pistol and four folding batons. In addition, 249' were seized. 'grams of hashish, 130,000 euros in cash, watches and jewelry worth more than 20,000 euros, and a luxury car.

The criminal organization allegedly operated in Cantabria for more than a decade, using a complex financial and entrepreneurial scheme to hide profits made from the sexual exploitation of women. The operation was divided into two phases, first conducted in 2021, focusing on investigations into the sexual exploitation of women in various institutions in several Spanish provinces. In the second phase of the operation, law enforcement authorities were able to dismantle the organization's financial and business activities in Cantabria, bringing new charges of money laundering and involvement in criminal''gang.

The operation resulted in the blocking of 31 properties worth 20,750,000 euros and 169 bank accounts with a total balance of 200,000 euros. During the search carried out in Santander and other areas of Cantabria, police seized a number of key pieces of evidence, including extensive documentation relating to the organization's criminal activities in the region, weapons including firearms, an electric pistol and four folding batons. Also seized were 249 grams of hashish, 130,000 euros in cash, valuable watches and jewelry worth more than 20,000 euros, and a luxury car.

In addition to the arrests and seizures in Cantabria, the operation also''led to the blocking of 31 properties worth 20,750,000 euros and 169 bank accounts with a total balance of 200,000 euros across the country. A trusted person advising members of the organization on how to launder illegally obtained money in Cantabria was also identified and detained. The criminal organization has been laundering money derived from human trafficking stemming from the sexual exploitation of women for more than a decade.

This successful police operation has put an end to the illegal activities of a criminal organization that operated in Cantabria and had been exploiting women for many years. Investigations continue to fully expose the networks involved in criminal activity in the region.