- The international network operated clandestine factories and warehouses across several towns in Alicante province.
- One facility was found to include makeshift living quarters for workers.
- Personal belongings, beds, and vitamin D supplements—used to counter lack of sunlight—were discovered on site.
In a joint operation codenamed Alibobo 24/Landfill, Spain’s Civil Guard, National Police, and the Tax Agency have dismantled a criminal organization involved in the large-scale production and distribution of counterfeit tobacco across Spain and abroad. The operation has resulted in the arrest of seven individuals and the seizure of more than 328,000 packs of counterfeit cigarettes, as well as industrial machinery and raw materials used in their production.
The investigation began in November 2024, after Onil’s local police discovered large quantities of tobacco and manufacturing materials abandoned at a local recycling center. Subsequent efforts by the Civil Guard traffic unit in Orihuela and officers from Callosa de Segura led to the interception of a truck transporting the counterfeit cigarettes. This breakthrough allowed authorities to uncover a sophisticated network of illegal manufacturing operations spread across Mutxamel, Xixona, Elche, and Alicante.
Searches of the premises revealed 100 pallets of shredded tobacco, 10,000 liters of industrial glue, branded paper rolls, and cardboard sheets used to package the counterfeit cigarettes.
At the main facility in Mutxamel, agents discovered areas adapted for workers to live on-site. These makeshift quarters included beds, personal items, and vitamin D supplements, suggesting the workers spent extended periods indoors without sunlight.
The illegal activity not only poses a serious risk to public health—since the products bypass all sanitary controls—but also fuels unfair competition and may fund other criminal enterprises.
Seven Arrested, Several Sites Raided
The investigation, led jointly by the Organized Crime and Anti-Drug Team (EDOA), GRECO Levante of the National Police, and Customs Surveillance of the Tax Agency, with support from EUROPOL, resulted in seven arrests across Santomera, San Juan, Aspe, Castalla, and Alicante. Authorities carried out searches at seven homes and industrial facilities linked to the group.
The suspects, aged between 24 and 69, face charges including public health violations, smuggling, trademark infringement, and belonging to a criminal organization. Two have been remanded in custody by Elche’s Court of Instruction No. 2.
The operation remains open, with further arrests possible both in Spain and abroad, as investigators continue to collaborate with international law enforcement agencies to fully dismantle the tobacco smuggling network.
