Police operation against the Russian mafia across Spain

Police operation against the Russian mafia across Spain. More than 400 police, including GEO specialists, took part in the swoop against the members of the Russian mafia who are accused of laundering money coming from illegal activities carried out outside Spain and also of arms trafficking.The operation is codenamed ‘Troika’, and is against the ‘Tamboskaya’ mafia, so named as coming from a town close to San Petersburg.Some arrests are also taking place on the Costa del Sol, in Málaga, Marbella and also Nerja, where searches of luxury properties are said to be underway. Arrests have also been seen in Madrid, Valencia and Alicante, and Europa Press also reports arrests in Barcelona and on the Balearic Islands. First reports speak of a total of 18 people detained so far.The operation is being coordinated by the National Court judge, Baltasar Garzón and the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor.It comes three years after ‘Operacion Avispa’ which was the largest swoop against the Russian mafia ever seen in Spain. That resulted in 28 arrests, 22 of whom were thought to be top members of the mafia, 41 searches and the intervention of some 800 bank accounts in June 2005.