A VIOLENT gang from El Salvador that has expanded into Spain has suffered a significant blow with the Policia Nacional arresting 27 members.
Mara Salvatrucha, often known as MS-13, was trying to purchase weapons within the nation and had accomplished a take care of a felony to hold out an assassination.
Donald Trump’s administration branded the group in February as a international terrorist organisation and the FBI offered assist to Spanish authorities of their operation.
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The arrests have been carried out on March 27 however data was solely launched on Wednesday.
18 of the detentions have been within the Madrid space.
All of these arrested have been aged between 20 and 30, with 5 Spanish nationals- together with a woman- on the checklist.
The remaining got here from Central and South America together with 10 from El Salvador.
9 of the detainees have been jailed with a number of expenses laid down in opposition to them together with murder, inflicting harm, theft with violence and crimes in opposition to public well being.
Seized gadgets included bladed weapons, simulated firearms, narcotic substances, and cellphones.
Two MS-13 teams operated out of Madrid and Barcelona, with contacts in different elements of Spain and in Europe.
The Policia Nacional stated that the excessive degree probe began almost two years in the past and concerned over 200 officers.
The purpose was to cease the group from getting stronger.
Policia Nacional commissioner, Vicente Martinez, stated: “The Mara Salvatrucha is a really violent phenomenon that destabilises nationwide safety.”
He emphasised that the arrests made it attainable to nip the group within the bud because it was nonetheless in a ‘primitive’ stage.
The Madrid department trafficked medicine in small quantities and held conferences to recruit new members and had contacts within the US and Central America.
He added that their drug commerce was actually about getting cash maintain going whereas their actual purpose was all ‘about violence’
Martinez stated they intercepted a video name in February 2024 which outlined enlargement plans in Madrid and Barcelona with orders on the best way to go about it.
This included organisational recommendation and the best way to punish individuals who didn’t fall into line.
The commissioner revealed that the power moved in on the suspects in late March earlier than their deliberate assassination may very well be executed.
