European Authorities Break Up Chinese Money Laundering Ring
Five Chinese nationals, including the network’s leader, have been arrested in a coordinated European law enforcement operation that dismantled an international money laundering network capable of processing a million euros per day.
Spanish authorities conducted a dozen searches in Madrid, Valencia, Alicante, and Barcelona on July 2 and 3. The searches targeted various locations like homes, company headquarters, commercial warehouses, and restaurants, as stated by the European Union police agency Europol on July 5.
Around 100 Spanish police officers participated in the operations, with support from French Judicial Customs investigators and Europol experts, according to Europol. The leader of the network was arrested, and nearly 160,000 euros ($173,319) in cash were seized during the searches.
The investigations began in February 2021, led by France’s anti-fraud unit, the French National Anti-Fraud Office, and Spanish police with Europol’s assistance. This was triggered after French customs officers found over 500,000 euros hidden in a car in southern France, as reported by Europol.
The criminal scheme for laundering large amounts of cash across Europe had been operational since at least 2019, investigators discovered.
The funds are suspected to have originated from illegal activities such as trafficking counterfeit goods, tax and customs fraud, and prostitution. The network used a sophisticated logistics system to move cash across Europe efficiently.
In recent times, Europol has played a key role in dismantling various criminal organizations involving Chinese nationals in the EU.
On May 24, Europol announced its assistance to the Spanish National Police in dismantling two criminal organizations that smuggled over 1,000 Chinese nationals using fraudulent methods, resulting in sexual exploitation of most victims. These gangs allegedly made 5 million euros ($5.42 million) from these illicit activities.
As a result of a two-phase investigation, Spanish law enforcement arrested 69 individuals, seized luxury vehicles, confiscated cash, and collected electronic devices and documentation.
This case is linked to two major investigations—one involving Europe’s largest Chinese prostitution ring that led to 28 arrests in Belgium and Spain, and the other targeting a criminal organization trafficking individuals for sexual and labor exploitation in Mallorca, Spain, resulting in 17 arrests in March.
