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Caught with 20 million euros, Spain's Economic Crime Chief's ties with Albanians revealed

Politiko 2024-12-08 21:41:16

Caught with 20 million euros, Spain's Economic Crime Chief's ties with

Óscar Sánchez Gil, the former head of Spain's Economic and Fiscal Crime Unit (UDEF), was arrested two weeks ago after 20 million euros were found hidden in the garden and walls of his apartment. He did not work alone. The police officer, known as 'El Anodino' for his low profile and currently imprisoned in Estremera prison, had a team of people working to launder the money he earned from illegal operations related to drug trafficking.

Investigators have arrested six people this week in connection with these events. The magistrate handling the case, Francisco De Jorge, a judge of the Central Court of Instruction Number 1 of the National Court, took a statement and then sent three of them to prison for their alleged connection to this corruption conspiracy, which is now in the second phase of the investigation.

At the moment, there are six people arrested, including Óscar Sánchez Gil, his wife Noelia RP (also an agent of the National Police), his sister-in-law Yolanda RP (who managed the VTC licenses with which they allegedly laundered part of the money), as well as three men who carried out money laundering tasks. It is not excluded that there will be other arrests in the coming days.

At this stage of the investigation, searches and seizures have been carried out at various homes in Barcelona and Madrid. Investigators believe that Óscar Sánchez Gil is hiding around 27 million euros more in another property in the capital, an amount that would be added to the 20 million that had already been seized. They also suspect that he could be holding another 15 million euros in cryptocurrencies, a more anonymous option for hiding large sums of money.

However, all roads lead to the United Arab Emirates. It is suspected that another significant part of the money gained from this conspiracy could be kept in Dubai. Money obtained from drug trafficking operations that he developed for the Balkan Cartel – a mafia organization of Albanian origin and responsible for the largest operations of cocaine entering Europe from South America – is suspected to have been hidden there.

The trigger for the plot was the seizure of the largest quantity of cocaine ever seized in Spain: 13 tons of cocaine found in a container at the port of Algeciras, which came from Ecuador, hidden in a fake shipment of bananas. An operation that would involve Albanians and Óscar Sánchez Gil.

Sources close to the investigation believe that this was the main source of income for 'El Anodino': his collaboration with mafiosi in Eastern Europe to help them safely cross the Spanish ports without being detected by the police. Sánchez Gil's position of power would have allowed him to provide information to drug traffickers to cross the cocaine unhindered. In return, the former head of UDEF would receive up to one million euros for each shipment.

In the first phase of the operation, 20 million euros in cash were found hidden in the home of Óscar and Noelia, a luxury residence in an urbanization in the municipality of Alcalá de Henares, along with a collection of luxury cars. Neither the other 27 million that he is suspected of hiding, nor the alleged wealth in cryptocurrencies, have yet been found.

The police couple is currently behind bars. Óscar and his wife have two minor daughters. As reported by El Confidencial and confirmed by El Periódico de España, investigators had proposed a deal to Sánchez Gil: if he admitted where he hid the money, they would request the temporary release of his wife so that she could take care of the children. But Sánchez Gil rejected the offer.

It is suspected that a large part of the money received from the conspiracy may be hidden in Dubai. This is a challenge for the investigation, as the authorities of this Emirate often do not cooperate with international anti-money laundering operations. Much wealth obtained from illegal sources is hidden there, and the Dubai authorities are known for not cooperating with such operations.

Dubai authorities remain an insurmountable wall for major operations against money laundering and international fraud.