Cyprus link in crime syndicate arrests in Spain?
Eleven people of primarily Ukrainian and Russian origin were arrested on Tuesday in Barcelona accused of connections with organized crime and money laundering, the Spanish anti-corruption prosecutor’s office said.
The investigation found instances of organized crime, money laundering, forgery of official documents and tax avoidance, the prosecutor said in a statement.
The arrests were the second large case involving alleged activity by Russian criminal syndicates since May, when Spanish authorities issued warrants for 12 Russians, including senior officials said to be operating out of the country.
Those arrested on Tuesday used capital from companies, mostly based in Cyprus or the British Virgin Islands, to acquire, or form, Spanish companies which were used to buy Spanish property, the statement said.
The prosecutor’s office said it had discovered more than 10 million euros of laundered money which had been invested in Spanish property.
[Reuters]
