On the island of Tenerife (Canary Islands, Spain), 14 airport workers were arrested on suspicion of stealing valuables from passengers’ luggage.
According to the Spanish Ministry of Internal Affairs, in addition to the 14 detainees, an investigation was conducted against another 20 employees of Tenerife Airport. They are suspected of “belonging to a criminal group, robbery with force, causing damage, and money laundering.”
The department explained that the investigation was initiated due to an increase in the number of statements and complaints from tourists about thefts from luggage. It turned out that the criminals were opening checked luggage and stealing valuables such as jewelry, mobile phones, watches, and electronic devices. They then closed the suitcases, leaving no trace of forced entry.
During the searches, 29 expensive watches, 120 gold and precious stone jewelry, 22 expensive smartphones, electronic devices, and 13,000 in cash were seized from the criminals. The total value of the stolen goods reached 1.95 million euros.