The Customs Surveillance and the Civil Guard have arrested 20 people and seized 23 tonnes of tobacco in an operation that began in 2025.
A joint operation by the Customs Surveillance of the Tax Agency and the Civil Guard has culminated in the arrest of 20 individuals and the seizure of 23,000 kilos of tobacco cut and 38,000 packets. The network, based in the province of Ciudad Real, had been operating since early 2025 and supplied various points across Spain.
The agents carried out 17 searches in homes and premises in locations such as Ciudad Real, Puertollano, Almodóvar del Campo, Villamayor de Calatrava, Bolaños, Almagro and Pozuelo de Calatrava, as well as Fuenlabrada (Madrid). In a second phase, the searches extended to Navalcarnero and Aranjuez (Madrid), Sagunto (Valencia) and Almenara (Castellón).
The leader of the organization has been placed in preventive custody without bail, along with nine other detainees who were brought before the Court of First Instance number 2 of Puertollano. In total, 20 people were arrested and three more are under investigation.
During the searches, 90,000 euros in cash, a pistol, a rifle, knives, luxury watches and equipment for processing tobacco, such as scales, presses and bags, were seized. The majority of the tobacco was located in a warehouse in Fuenlabrada, from where the goods were distributed.
The detainees face charges of smuggling, money laundering, tax evasion, public health violations and belonging to a criminal organization. The investigation, which began in early 2025, has been carried out by the Operational Unit of Ciudad Real of Customs Surveillance and the EDOA of the Civil Guard of Ciudad Real.
This operation, dubbed 'Principito'/'Tajuli', represents a significant blow to tobacco smuggling in the region. The Tax Agency has highlighted the coordination between different units to dismantle the network, which operated in an organized manner and with a high level of sophistication.
The investigations began in early 2025 when information was received about an organization located in the province of Ciudad Real that could be engaged in the illegal manufacture, storage and distribution to various points across the national territory of smuggled tobacco.
For citizens, this action represents a curb on the illegal sale of tobacco, which evades taxes and may be linked to other criminal activities. Authorities remind the importance of reporting any suspicion of smuggling through the designated channels.
You may also like
