Catalonia saw one of the largest police operations in recent months, with officers from various units detaining 70 people across cities in the region. The operation began on Friday evening and continued into Saturday morning, covering not only Barcelona, but also Badalona, Santa Coloma de Gramenet, Sant Adrià de Besòs, L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, Cornellà de Llobregat, Esplugues de Llobregat, Barcelona Airport, and Figueres in Girona.
This time, not only regional forces but also the national police and municipal units took part in the raid. Their coordinated actions led to dozens of arrests and the identification of hundreds of administrative and criminal offenses. According to police, those detained had a combined total of 577 previous offenses. In addition, 34 more individuals were brought in for investigation—together, they account for 197 past incidents.
Operation results: arrests, seizures, and inspections
During the raids, law enforcement officers discovered and confiscated two cars that had been reported stolen, as well as six electric scooters suspected to have been used in crimes. They issued 74 fines for traffic violations and 122 administrative citations for possession of drugs or weapons. Additionally, 39 inspections were conducted at various establishments, where further violations were found.
Special attention was given to individuals who had repeatedly come to the attention of the police. It was against these repeat offenders that Pla Kanpai focused its main efforts. This operation marked the tenth such initiative under this strategy, and according to police representatives, it is not limited to arrests—other services have also been engaged to address the issue comprehensively.
Geography and Scale: Where the arrests took place
The operation covered not only the capital of Catalonia but also cities in the surrounding metropolitan area. Checks were also carried out at Barcelona airport, which led to the detection of additional violations. In Figueres, located in the province of Girona, the operation concluded by Saturday morning; however, in Barcelona itself, police activities are ongoing, and final numbers may still change.
Dozens of patrols and special rapid response units took part in the raids. In some cases, arrests were made in public places—on the streets and in establishments—where police believed potentially dangerous individuals could be found.
Pla Kanpai Strategy: A Comprehensive Approach to Combating Repeat Offenses
The main goal of Pla Kanpai is not just to detain offenders, but also to create conditions that make committing new crimes as difficult as possible. To do this, police work together with other agencies and organizations, tackling the problem from multiple angles. The operation includes both preventive measures and direct arrests.
Police note that such operations not only help reduce crime rates but also restore residents’ sense of security. More raids are expected in the coming days, along with the publication of final data on the number of arrests and detected violations.
