A criminal organisation in Alicante involved in various illegal activities: from drugs to cockfighting

National Police have dismantled a criminal organisation in Marina Baixa involved in multiple illegal businesses, primarily profiting from the production and sale of narcotics, alongside cockfighting. The operation led to the simultaneous dismantling of six cocaine and heroin selling points distributed across Benidorm, Alfaz del Pi, and La Nucía, where bets and cockfights were also held, according to a statement from the Provincial Headquarters.

Officers have arrested 20 individuals, both men and women of various ages and nationalities, as alleged perpetrators of drug trafficking, criminal group membership, and animal cruelty for the main suspect. In the house raided in a rural area of La Nucía, a concrete structure, known as a 'palenque' in slang, was discovered, intended for cockfighting. There were 15 live fighting cocks caged and two dead ones, one of which was hanging from a pine tree on the property.

This gang was perfectly organised, with a hierarchical structure and defined roles, according to the National Police. The ringleader, along with his partner, controlled two of the main residences. Other members were responsible for each selling point; some for transporting goods from one place to another, renting vehicles, or providing security for the network.

The counter-surveillance system was very complex. The organisation employed strong measures during their vehicle movements to detect, evade, or hinder any surveillance they might be under. They sometimes used lead vehicles to alert about potential police presence during the journey. In some of the homes, they even had guard dogs to detect and respond to possible threats.

In the main suspect's house, there was a closed-circuit recording system, with two large screens in the living room capturing everything from different perspectives. In fact, the police managed to arrest the alleged leader of the organisation as he was about to leave the house in a vehicle with his partner, carrying €2,485 in cash at the time.

Surveillance conducted on the targets revealed that the organisation was supplied by regular consumers of narcotics. They did not pay for it but exchanged it for items obtained from thefts, ranging from mobile phones, electric scooters, and bicycles to a motorcycle and a car.

The organisation had a tertiary level, composed of about ten members. Besides providing security for the group, they transported consumers to the selling points with stolen goods to trade them for the desired substance, according to the same sources. Some of these selling points even served as 'narco rooms', where clients could consume the acquired substance to avoid possible police intervention if identified.

In one of the raided homes, the one in Benidorm, there was a plantation with 101 marijuana plants, which was completely dismantled.

The operation resulted in the arrest of 20 people and the seizure of 246.9 grams of cocaine, 39.24 grams of hashish, 101 marijuana plants, and €3,295, along with a large number of items of illicit origin. The four main detainees, who allegedly formed the first tier of the criminal group, were brought before the courts of Benidorm and Villajoyosa.