Mossos d'Esquadra, Catalonia's regional police, and Policía Nacional have arrested nine people in an alleged arms and ammunition trafficking network following an operation that included a search in Reus.

The investigation culminated on 7 July after nearly six months of work that began in January, according to the police operation reported by Diari de Tarragona. For Reus residents, the confirmed local link is one of 10 searches carried out during the case.

Police say alleged leader directed network from Brians 2

Investigators from the Mossos' Criminal Investigation Division (DIC) concluded that the alleged leader coordinated the group from Brians 2 prison. Police said relatives and associates allegedly handled the purchase, transport and delivery of weapons requested by criminal groups.

The nine detainees are five men and four women aged between 20 and 48. The alleged leader was already in prison in connection with a separate case.

Ten searches across Catalonia

The operation involved searches of nine homes in l'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Montcada i Reixac, Canovelles, Badia del Vallès, Piera, Reus and el Pla del Penedès, as well as the alleged leader's prison cell.

  • Police seized more than 40 firearms across two weapons stores.
  • One property contained 38 imitation Glock semi-automatic pistols, 140 rounds of ammunition and cash.
  • A second property contained a rocket launcher, two revolvers, four shotguns, bulletproof vests, a ballistic shield and almost 1,000 rounds of ammunition of different calibres.
  • Other searches found blank-firing weapons, magazines, a Taser device, an inert hand grenade, mobile phones and €12,000 in cash.

The Mossos and Policía Nacional said the operation dismantled the alleged organisation, which they say supplied weapons and ammunition to criminal circles on demand.

Reported by diaridetarragona.com, europapress.es, DiariTots21, tarragonadigital.com, lavanguardia.com, Agencias, Ismael Lobo García, Europa Press, larazon.es, Cesc Maideu, CatalunyaPress.es, Ángela Vázquez, diarimes.com.