Murcia, Spain – August 27, 2025
Spanish police have broken up a heavily armed criminal group accused of carrying out violent “drug rip-offs,” raids in which traffickers steal narcotics from rival gangs. Six suspects were arrested in a joint operation by the Guardia Civil and National Police, authorities confirmed Wednesday.
The gang is suspected of multiple serious crimes, including attempted murder, armed robbery, vehicle theft, drug trafficking, document forgery, and possession of war-grade weapons.
The investigation, dubbed Operation Vistrelil-Scorpion, began last year after a brazen daytime shooting in the Murcia district of Guadalupe, where armed men ambushed a man and stole large bags filled with narcotics. Months later, a gunman armed with an assault rifle stormed a home in Archena, seriously wounding the occupant. Police soon linked the two incidents.
Weapons Stash in the Hills
The joint probe led investigators to a hidden cache in the mountains of Ulea. Inside, they found two war rifles, multiple magazines, large quantities of ammunition, police-style bulletproof vests, blue emergency lights, ski masks, and fake license plates.
Authorities believe the gang used the equipment to impersonate law enforcement officers during drug heists, giving them an advantage over their rivals.
Raids in Murcia and Ricote
In coordinated raids on homes in Murcia and Ricote, officers arrested three suspects and seized marijuana, mobile phones, cash, and precision drug scales. Three more suspects were arrested later.
In total, police confiscated an AK-47 assault rifle, an ACP9 submachine gun, ammunition of various calibers, stolen vehicles, and other evidence. Some of the vehicles had been fitted with fake license plates; others were later found dismantled in scrapyards.
Authorities say the dismantled gang was active not only in Murcia but also in the neighboring province of Almería.
The six suspects, along with the seized weapons, drugs, and evidence, have been handed over to judicial authorities.
