- One individual has been arrested and two others are under investigation for alleged crimes including belonging to a criminal organization, fraud, identity theft, and document forgery.
- The group is accused of defrauding nearly €100,000 by impersonating companies in the agricultural sector and placing orders they never paid for.
- So far, five cases have been solved, with more under investigation.
Murcia, July 24, 2025 — The Spanish Civil Guard has dismantled a criminal network operating in Murcia, Almería, and Barcelona, as part of Operation KRAVEN_LORCMERCA, targeting online fraud against fruit and vegetable businesses in the Region of Murcia.
The operation, part of the Civil Guard’s National Cybercrime Prevention and Response Plan, has led to the arrest of one person in Lorca and the investigation of two others, located in Vícar (Almería) and Barcelona, for their alleged involvement in a fraud scheme that targeted agricultural companies.
A Sophisticated Scam Using Stolen Company Identities
The investigation began several months ago when a representative of a horticultural company in Lorca reported being scammed. The fraudsters had impersonated another legitimate company to place two fake orders worth €5,000. The products were delivered, but no payment was ever made.
After discovering the fraud, the victims contacted the real company—based in Quintanar de la Orden (Toledo)—which confirmed it had nothing to do with the orders and had already received multiple complaints of similar fraudulent activity. This prompted the company to file its own police report, as its identity had been used repeatedly to deceive suppliers.
A Widespread and Organized Operation
The Civil Guard’s Cybercrime Team (Equipo @) in Lorca uncovered at least seven affected companies in addition to the original complainant, all of whom had been deceived using the same impersonated company’s data.
The criminals had created a fake website mimicking the legitimate business, along with email addresses and phone numbers, creating a convincing front that led suppliers to trust and fulfil the orders.
The group had specific knowledge of the agricultural industry and used their experience in horticultural product importation to carry out the scheme. Once the orders were placed and goods received—mostly through logistics hubs in Barcelona and Perpignan, France—they would resell the goods under their own legitimate business name, issuing invoices through their registered company.
Arrests and Ongoing Investigations
Following a thorough investigation and data analysis by the Lorca cyber team, three individuals were identified as being behind the scam. With sufficient evidence gathered, the Civil Guard proceeded to arrest the group’s ringleader in Lorca and investigate two accomplices located in Vícar (Almería) and Barcelona.
The operation was led by the Lorca Cybercrime Unit, with support from Civil Guard teams in Barcelona and Almería’s Judicial Police Unit.
Investigations remain ongoing, and authorities have not ruled out further victims or arrests.
