Spanish police have smashed a fraud ring exporting stolen cars overseas, seizing seven vehicles just moments before they were due to be shipped out of the Port of Alicante.
The operation, led by the Guardia Civil, uncovered a sophisticated scheme in which vehicles stolen abroad were being laundered with fake paperwork and falsely presented as European cars for export to Algeria.
The investigation began on 19 November 2025, after customs officers noticed a sharp rise in cars bearing temporary plates being loaded onto ships bound for North Africa. Officers from the Fiscal and Border Analysis and Investigation Unit (UDAIFF) at Alicante port grew suspicious and began digging deeper.
What they found set alarm bells ringing.
Checks revealed serious irregularities in the documentation trail of several vehicles. According to investigators, the cars had originally been stolen in Morocco before being moved into Europe. Once here, the gang allegedly falsified invoices and official certificates to disguise their true origin and make the vehicles appear legally sourced within the EU.
With their paperwork “cleaned”, the cars were then sent back out of Europe — this time to Algeria — before authorities could trace their illicit past.
Thanks to the rapid intervention, seven cars of various makes and models were intercepted and impounded before boarding ships at Alicante. All have been placed at the disposal of the courts and, once proceedings conclude, will be returned to their rightful owners.
The crackdown also led to the arrest of six people, aged between 32 and 45, all accused of document forgery. Further charges have not been ruled out as the investigation continues.
The Guardia Civil has underlined the vital role of customs controls at Spain’s ports and the importance of international cooperation in tackling cross-border vehicle crime. Officers say the operation reinforces Spain’s commitment to protecting legitimate trade and stopping stolen vehicles from circulating through global markets.
The case is being handled by the Guardia Civil in Alicante, with enquiries coordinated through its communications office.
