El Pablo's clan laundered 20 million euros from drug trafficking to buy dozens of houses in La Soledat

PalmaThe clan led by the well-known drug trafficker Pablo Campos Maya, alias El Pablo, allegedly laundered 20 million euros from drug trafficking to buy dozens of houses in the Palma neighborhood of La Soledat. The main suspect lived in a 1,400-square-meter property, with a swimming pool, garage, and a possible escape tunnel. The National Police and the Customs Surveillance Service of the Tax Agency have arrested 21 people this week as alleged perpetrators of crimes of membership in a criminal organization and money laundering. The operation, the result of more than a year of joint investigation, has also allowed for the seizure of 48 properties.

The investigation began with two parallel operations, called Tsunami and Galba, which shared a goal: to find out what the clan was doing with the money it obtained from drug trafficking in La Soledat, its center of operations for years. Previously, investigators had already managed to dismantle several drug-selling points and arrest those responsible. A decade ago, Operation Nerón allowed for the conviction of several members of the organization for money laundering and the confiscation of numerous properties, as recalled by the National Police and Customs Surveillance in a statement.

Now, investigators have discovered that the main leaders from that era had taken a step back in the business and had handed over its management to other people. During these ten years, the most veteran members of the clan and their direct relatives allegedly maintained a high standard of living. Among the clues that caught the investigators' attention are a trip of more than 50 people to a theme park in Paris and the celebration of weddings that lasted for several days and were surrounded by all kinds of luxuries.

Buying the neighborhood houses to control three streets

Given the suspicion that the clan was investing illicit profits in the purchase of dozens of properties, the investigation has made it possible to determine that its members acquired, one after another, the houses located in the vicinity of El Pablo's home, who is considered the main suspect. After buying them, the members of the organization allegedly renovated the interiors clandestinely to join them and create large dwellings, as well as drug sales points protected by armored doors and reinforced walls.

El Pablo's residence is an example of this. The property had 1,400 square meters, a swimming pool, a garage, and a possible tunnel that would have allowed him to flee in case of need. However, in the land registry records, no property with these characteristics appeared, but rather nine houses that originally occupied the plot and were in his name, his wife's name, and other relatives' names. The main suspect bought the first house in 1996. As he acquired more, he had their interiors demolished to join them, until he controlled the confluence of three streets. The facades, however, remained intact to prevent the magnitude of the project from being seen from the outside.

Inspectors from the Urban Planning department of the Palma City Council have discovered these renovations and many other illegal works carried out on the clan's properties. According to the investigators, the organization allegedly allocated hundreds of thousands of euros from its illicit activities to these actions. In parallel, the members of the clan continued buying the properties of the neighborhood residents. They were forced to sell them at "extremely low" prices because they could not find other interested buyers. The investigators believe that the buyers themselves contributed to degrading the area to lower the value of the properties and be able to acquire them for less money.

Front men, private contracts, and family donations

To hide the illicit origin of the money intended to purchase the properties, the clan members allegedly resorted to different mechanisms. Among these were the use of straw men, the formalization of private contracts that were never officially registered, and donations of money received from relatives. Investigators have been able to verify these irregularities after analyzing information from hundreds of bank accounts, notarial protocols, and tax returns, among other sources.

With the evidence collected, they managed to get the judicial authority to authorize 14 home entries and searches in Palma and Marratxí. The raids were carried out early last Tuesday morning, with the participation of nearly 200 officers. While air units monitored the operation from the air to ensure safety, tactical teams managed to control the interior of the buildings "in seconds." This action allowed specialists in opening safes to work "at full speed," according to the police forces.

21 arrested and 48 properties seized

During the first hours of the operation, the agents arrested 14 people. In the following days, throughout that same week, they arrested seven more, reaching a total of 21 detainees. Furthermore, the investigators seized vehicles, jewelry, firearms, various drug packages, and an abundant amount of documentation related to the group's activity. Apart from the 48 seized properties, the investigators have estimated the value of the houses that the clan allegedly bought with money presumably coming from drug trafficking at about 20 million euros.