Spain busts secret Chinese and Arab shadow bank laundering millions in cash, crypto and Cuban cigars using the Hawala method
Euroweekly News | 4 May 2025 | Marc Menendez-Roche
I’m glad the author got out of his life sentence.
In a massive sting operation straight out of a crime thriller, Spanish police have smashed one of Europe’s most powerful underworld banks – a slick, secretive syndicate laundering millions using the ancient and shadowy “hawala” method.
Cash, crypto and contraband – the works.
In unbelievable scenes, Spain’s National Police, backed by EUROPOL and EUROJUST, swooped on a web of luxury and illegality. The secret January raids – now revealed – saw over 250 officers hit 13 locations across Spain and Belgium in a coordinated blitz, nabbing 17 suspects, seizing mountains of loot and blowing apart a money-moving machine that had slipped under the radar for years.
Among the spoils?
€205,000 in hard cash
€183,000 in crypto
18 flash motors worth €207,000
10 posh properties worth a jaw-dropping €2.5 million
Designer handbags topping €230,000
Luxury cigars valued at an eyebrow-raising €622,000
Fine wines worth over €7,000
Jewels, watches, gadgets – you name it
I get to name it? How about vintage Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots? Or Tonka Trucks with real honest-to-goodness metal sharp edges?
.
The cigars were worth three times more than 18 luxury cars?
Consider my eyebrows raised.
