Spanish police unravel Armenian-Russian crime syndicate clash

Spanish authorities have uncovered a significant money laundering network linked to various international criminal organisations, including the Russian mafia.

This was achieved after an investigation revealed an attempt by an Armenian mafia group to rob the Russian mafia's money-laundering operation, Caliber.Az reports via Armenian media.

Spanish officials arrested 14 individuals involved in laundering money for criminal syndicates from Albania, Serbia, Armenia, China, Ukraine, and Colombia. The laundered amounts reportedly totaled millions of euros each month, with participants receiving a commission ranging from 2 to 3 per cent.

The organized network operated across several cities in Spain, with offices and headquarters serving as hubs for illegal financial activities. Each division was led by a cashier responsible for handling up to 300,000 euros in cash per day. The offices were equipped with safes and high-speed currency counters installed in soundproof cabinets to avoid detection when dealing with large sums of money. 

The laundered funds were moved across the globe, with criminal groups from different countries using the network to facilitate their operations. The major crime syndicates involved included Serbian and Albanian cartels, the Armenian mafia, and organizations from Ukraine, Colombia, and China. Authorities discovered that the network employed strict security measures to prevent arrests, including frequent changes in residences, vehicles, and cities for the cashiers. 

They also trained new staff on proper cash-handling techniques. All members used encrypted phones, which were set to simultaneously block if one of them was apprehended by law enforcement. Further investigation revealed that a conflict had erupted between this money-laundering network and another Armenian mafia group when the latter attempted to rob the operation of more than half a million euros. 

However, the robbery attempt was foiled due to the swift security measures taken by the laundering network. This incident has led to a significant escalation in tensions between the two criminal groups. As a result, a meeting was organized in Spain between criminal leaders from Russia and Armenia to resolve the dispute and prevent further violence between the factions.

By Naila Huseynova