Overview

• The Madrid–Sevilla high-speed rail line was severely disrupted after 150 meters of copper cable were stolen at four locations in Toledo province, impacting 10,700 passengers.
• The Guardia Civil has ruled out sabotage as a likely cause, instead linking the incident to common-crime copper thefts by organized groups.
• Operations in Córdoba over the past year have led to over 60 arrests and the seizure of approximately 80 tonnes of stolen copper, underscoring the scale of these criminal networks.
• Global copper prices, which have nearly doubled to over €9,300 per tonne, are fueling a surge in thefts, with national reports of copper theft rising 87% since 2019.
• Stolen copper is stripped, stored in warehouses, and distributed via fraudulent scrapyards or exported abroad, often to countries like China.