Members of Armenian criminal network arrested in Spain, France VIDEO

The European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol) has said it had arrested twenty-eight members of Armenian and Georgian criminal network, including its leader, during Europol-assisted operations by French and Spanish authorities.

The group, Thieves in Law (Vory V Zakone), was involved in aggravated property crime, racketeering, extortion and money laundering as well as theft and the sale of stolen merchandise, smuggling of tobacco and laundering of criminal assets, Anadolu quotes Europol as saying in a statement.

The operations from June 19 - 20 in the French cities of Clermont-Ferrand, Metz, Lyon, Marseille, Paris and Spain's Alcasser, Barcelona, Lloret de Mar and Valencia followed an ongoing investigation by France that was launched in November 2020 to uncover an extensive Armenian criminal organization.

The mostly Armenian and Georgian nationals were arrested at 38 house searches in Spain and France.

“Seizures include 16 luxury watches -- one valued at €39,000 ($42,500) -- eight vehicles, six weapons with ammunition, a bullet-proof vest, two GPS detection devices, more than €60,000 ($65,500) in cash, mobile phones and electronic devices, as well as Thieves in Law paraphernalia," said Europol.

French and Spanish authorities initiated a joint investigation into this criminal network in November 2020. Previous separate investigative actions by French and Spanish police against several members of the criminal group, many of whom were Armenians and Georgians, revealed links between the suspects and revealed a widespread network.

The criminal mastermind had previously been under investigation for attempted murder.

This network followed the rules of "thieves in law". It was divided into parts with strict codes of conduct that protected the leader and were aimed at ensuring his survival. The title held by the leader guaranteed his status and power over other members of the criminal organisation.

Spain's national police investigated and detained the man in 2018 in connection with the attempted murder of a rival 'crowned' thief. The leader of the network, against whom a European arrest warrant has been issued by France, is currently in custody in Spain pending further action against him.