International Collaboration Disrupts Human Trafficking Network

The Civil Guard has dismantled a criminal organization operating between Colombia and Spain, dedicated to human trafficking for the purpose of labour exploitation. The operation, named “Aguazul-Napoleón”, was carried out in collaboration with the National Police and the National Police of Colombia, and has been described as a success in the fight against this type of crime.

Arrests and Operation Data

Since the start of the investigation in 2023, a total of 30 people have been arrested, three of whom were recently apprehended in Tarragona. Among those arrested are two women of Spanish and Colombian nationality, and a Colombian man with international arrest warrants issued from Colombia. Additionally, 57 potential victims of this trafficking network have been located.

The exploitation phases of this operation began in April 2024 and extended until July 2025, resulting in the arrest of 22 individuals and the rescue of victims in the provinces of Tarragona and Madrid. The final phase was conducted simultaneously in Colombia, where several searches were carried out, leading to the capture of four individuals involved.

Operation of the Criminal Organization

The investigation revealed that the organization had a hierarchical and specialized structure. Its members in Colombia were responsible for identifying individuals in situations of economic or social vulnerability, offering false promises of employment and better living conditions in Spain.

Once on Spanish territory, the victims were taken in by other members of the organization and transported to catering establishments in Tarragona and Madrid, where they were forced to work under exploitative conditions, under the threat of debts accumulated for their transportation.