Spain’s top anti-fraud law enforcement officer gets caught with EUR20 million following drug bust
Date
11/14/2024 7:26:25 AM
(MENAFN) Spain’s former head of the anti-fraud unit, Oscar Sanchez Gil, has been arrested after €20 million ($21.2 million) in cash was discovered hidden in the walls of his house, marking a shocking twist in the country’s largest cocaine bust. Sanchez Gil, along with 15 other individuals, was taken into custody following the discovery of 13 tons of cocaine in a shipment of bananas at the southern port of Algeciras, which originated in Ecuador. The seizure, the largest ever in Spain and the second-largest in the EU, was made by Spain’s National Police last month.
During their investigation into the cocaine shipment, authorities linked the drug traffickers to Sanchez Gil and searched his residence near Madrid. There, they uncovered the massive sum of money, along with an additional €1 million in his office. His romantic partner, who is also a police officer, was among those arrested. The group faces multiple charges, including drug trafficking, bribery, money laundering, and corruption.
Sanchez Gil had a background in the national police’s narcotics division before heading the anti-fraud unit, where it is alleged he used his position to make connections with international criminal networks and helped them avoid detection at Spanish ports. The large sum of money found is believed to be linked to his illicit activities, rather than the recent drug shipment. Sanchez Gil had been under suspicion for some time, and his phone was tapped before the arrest. This scandal highlights the growing cocaine trade into the EU, with record quantities of the drug being seized each year, particularly in Spain.
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