Drivers on the AP-7 near Barcelona watched five men wearing police vests pull a bloodied man from his car and force him into another vehicle in broad daylight. The abduction prompted a police investigation on one of Spain’s busiest highways.
The abduction took place at 19:30 on Saturday near Montornès del Vallès. At first, it looked like a minor crash. Then the group, dressed to look like Policía Nacional, approached the second car. Spanish media reports and police say the men dragged the victim from his car between Montornès del Vallès and Vilanova del Vallès. The Mossos d'Esquadra are treating the case as possible illegal detention or kidnapping.
ABC, citing police sources, reported that the victim was found alive and in good condition about an hour to an hour and a half after the attack. He had facial injuries and was covered in blood at the scene.
People driving by filmed the incident on their phones. The victim, blood on his face, was dragged across the road in full view of passing cars. Several Spanish outlets say the videos have proved basic to the investigation, helping police quickly reconstruct what happened and confirm details.
The Mossos d'Esquadra believe the attack was likely an act of criminal score-settling. The attackers wore police disguises and moved fast. Sources inside the Mossos, quoted by ARA and Crónica Global, say the basic theory is that the abduction was staged or intended to intimidate, probably in connection with organized crime disputes.
The AP-7 has seen trouble before. As reported earlier, similar attacks have led to calls for greater vigilance and better protection for drivers in the area.
The case is being handled by the División de Investigación Criminal (DIC) of the Mossos d'Esquadra. ARA and El Periódico report that, as of their latest coverage, no arrests have been made and the perpetrators have not been identified. Several publications describe the AP-7 as a recurring location for organized crime and violent incidents, raising concerns about police disguises being used in broad daylight on a busy highway.
The victim was found alive, but the case remains open. Police are working to find and arrest the attackers. The fake uniforms and speed of the attack highlight the challenge officers face in distinguishing real police from impostors in tense situations.
The attack unfolded in plain sight as witnesses filmed but could not intervene. With the suspects still at large, the abduction has focused attention on the risk of sudden violence on the AP-7.
