LA RAZÓN (Spain)
Spanish police arrested more than 80 people in a well-orchestrated raid against the Chinese mafia. According to Spanish newspaper La Razón, the police action, nicknamed Operación Emperador (Operation Emperor), was aimed at money laundering by Chinese criminal organizations.
Up to 300 million euros a year transited in this way to launder funds from criminal activities in China, a police spokesman told the newspaper. Among those alleged to be involved were a Spanish porn star and a Socialist city councilor of Madrid, José Borrás Hernández, La Razón reported.
According to the Spanish secretary for security and the anti-corruption chief of the tax department, the Chinese criminal organization contracted with Spanish and Israeli citizens to transport the cash, in sacks of coins, out of Spain.
Search warrants were issued against 120 people, 235 companies, and 202 vehicles, as well as arrest warrants for 108 people in Spain and 17 people in other countries. It is thought to be the largest operation ever against corruption by the Spanish fiscal authorities, the officials said.
