EU nabs US$300 million illegal trafficking in Spain

March 31, 2005

Officials arrested 41 people from five countries Sunday in connection with a trans-European operation. The individuals are suspected in laundering US$300 million in gang-related activities such as prostitution, murder, and arms and drug trafficking, according to police with Interpol and.

The BBC reported citizens of, , , , and were among those arrested and charged with illegally siphoning money from , a large Russian oil company. Yukos maintains it was unaware of such activities.

The crackdown went by code name and was a joint effort between Spain and Russia, officials said. The arrests were centered in the area of Spain's southern Mediterranean coast.