Overview

• The Guardia Civil dismantled a Vigo-based kidnapping and extortion network, arresting four members, including a Portuguese ringleader captured in February 2025.
• The criminal group abducted a Madrid businessman and his interpreter in November 2024, demanding €500,000 in ransom before releasing them after three days of captivity.
• Victims were violently restrained and transported across the Spanish-Portuguese border during their ordeal, with investigators acting swiftly to prevent further crimes.
• Policía Nacional arrested a mobile duo in Cangas accused of robbing an elderly woman of €700 after a bank withdrawal in early April 2025.
• Both investigations highlight the success of interagency collaboration in combating cross-border organized crime and protecting vulnerable populations.