In the course of their operations, the Guardia Civil and the Callosa d’en Sarrià (Alicante) Local Police have arrested three individuals in the old town of Castell de Guadalest (Alicante) on suspicion of defrauding visitors.
Operation ‘Ludwiz’ started when authorities received information about several individuals in tourist areas requesting donations by presenting forged documents from purported charitable organisations, primarily related to aid for children and the disabled.
This strategy, referred to as the “charity method,” involves using ostensibly official paperwork and documentation to persuade victims to donate money while exploiting the tourist setting and the visitors’ good intentions.
Following the preliminary investigations, Callosa d’en Sarrià Guardia Civil officers conducted witness interviews and covert surveillance as part of the Safe Tourism operations. This allowed them to verify that the individuals involved behaved in a coordinated manner, assigning distinct roles during their illegal activity.
Eventually, the suspicious group’s presence in Castell de Guadalest’s old town was reported, thanks to prompt contact from local businesses and citizens. This made it possible for the Callosa d’en Sarrià Local Police and the Guardia Civil to work together on an operation that resulted in the group’s capture while driving.
Investigators found lists of signatures, monies purportedly collected through frauds, and fake paperwork from a purported charity throughout the operation.
The detainees, three men between the ages of 40 and 45, have been placed under the jurisdiction of the Courts of Instruction of Villajoyosa, which have ordered their release with the imposition of precautionary measures. They are accused of fraud, falsifying private documents, and belonging to a criminal group.
The Guardia Civil is still looking into whether the detention is connected to any other instances of a similar nature that have occurred in the nation’s tourism destinations.
Author: Derek Appleton
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