Six Tren de Aragua Members Arrested in Madrid After Series of Violent Robberies. Spanish police have arrested six members of Tren de Aragua linked to attacks on cryptocurrency owners and tourists in Madrid. Among the victims is an entrepreneur who financed Alvise Pérez's campaign. Three of those detained have already been sent to prison.
In Madrid, police have arrested six alleged members of the criminal organization Tren de Aragua, which is linked to a series of particularly violent robberies and kidnappings. Among the victims is businessman Álvaro Romillo, known as CryptoSpain, who previously financed the election campaign of Alvise Pérez. According to the investigation, the gang specialized in attacks aimed at stealing cryptocurrency and large sums of money.
The most high-profile incident took place at the end of last year in the Madrid suburb of Majadahonda. At that time, armed assailants broke into Romillo's home, held him and his wife for five hours, gained access to his virtual wallet, and stole over a million euros in cryptocurrency, as well as 200,000 euros in cash and valuable jewelry. Police determined that the criminals had meticulously prepared for the attack, studying the neighborhood and the victim’s daily routine.
The investigation revealed a connection between this crime and other similar cases. Several days before the attack on Romillo, a French tourist was kidnapped in the Villa de Vallecas area. He was lured to an apartment through a dating app, where he was beaten and forced to transfer money from his phone. In both cases, the criminals acted according to a premeditated plan and deliberately chose their victims.
According to police, the detainees acted with particular brutality: they tied up their victims, threatened them with weapons, and in one case shot a man in the face when he tried to escape. They have been charged with attempted murder, robbery, kidnapping, and participation in a criminal organization. Among those arrested is a woman who was used as bait for the victims. All the suspects lived in Madrid, are aged between 25 and 35, and some had previous convictions for stealing expensive watches. Three of the arrested have already been placed in pre-trial detention.
Tren de Aragua is an international criminal network that originated in Venezuela and operates in several Latin American and European countries. In Spain, police have already disrupted its cells on multiple occasions: in December, one of the organization's leaders was arrested, and last year members involved in drug trafficking and money laundering were also detained. According to Spanish law enforcement, the operation in Madrid has neutralized one of the most active Tren de Aragua groups in the country.
