33 Arrested in Torrelavega After Largest Police Operation. Police in Torrelavega have carried out a large-scale operation against a criminal group. A total of 33 people were arrested, with accounts, vehicles, and property seized. Authorities responded to a rise in threats and the use of firearms.
The largest police operation in recent years took place in Torrelavega (Cantabria): 400 officers from various departments detained 33 people linked to the activities of three families who, according to police, kept local residents in fear. The organization is suspected of drug trafficking, extortion, threats, money laundering, and a series of robberies. A key detail is that the criminals began using firearms not only against each other but also against outsiders, which forced the authorities to intervene urgently.
According to police, the leaders of the group controlled not only their relatives but also people dependent on them, forcing them to commit crimes under threat or due to drug addiction. One of the leaders continued to give orders from prison. During the raids, dozens of locations were searched — apartments, industrial facilities, and underground communications. Excavators, drones, and helicopters were used to search for weapons caches, but none were found.
Some of the properties searched were illegally occupied: the suspects forced owners to sell their homes at reduced prices through intimidation. As part of the financial investigation, 118 bank accounts, 110 vehicles, and 27 properties were seized, some of which were registered to minors. The total value of the frozen assets exceeds one million euros, and police do not rule out further arrests.
The investigation began a year and a half ago with a probe into the activities of families linked to organizing cockfights—a practice involving not only animal cruelty, but also illegal betting, drug use, and the presence of minors. However, police note that drug trafficking and extortion were the gang’s main sources of income. The operation covered not only Torrelavega but also neighboring areas—Campusano, Barrio Covadonga, Cartes, and Santiago de Cartes.
According to police, local residents welcomed the law enforcement actions: people applauded officers during the searches. The city's mayor, Javier López Estrada, publicly thanked the police for an intervention that had been awaited for a long time. Authorities are urging residents not to be afraid to report such cases—the police are ready to respond and protect victims.
The scale and methods of the operation in Torrelavega resemble recent police actions in the region, when heavy machinery and special forces were used to search for caches. Details on previous raids and their specific features can be found in the article about high-profile operations in Cantabria.
For reference: Torrelavega is the second largest city in Cantabria and an important industrial and transport hub of the region. In recent years, the authorities have paid particular attention to combating organized crime and protecting residents' rights. According to Spain’s Ministry of the Interior, large-scale operations against drug trafficking and extortion are regularly conducted in the country, especially in regions with high levels of migration and social tension.
