Bizkaia Police Bust Pet Scam, Human Trafficking Ring, Rescue Elderly Man
Bizkaia police arrested 19 individuals for operating an online pet scam ring that defrauded 121 victims across Spain of over €36,000 and trafficked an 80-year-old man forced to facilitate their criminal activities.
Police in Bizkaia have broken up a criminal group that ran online scams using fake ads for pets. They also rescued an 80-year-old man who was forced to beg and open bank accounts for the group's criminal activities.
The police operation, called "Magna Vallis," led to 19 arrests – 18 in Bizkaia and one in Burgos. Three other people are also being investigated. So far, officers have found 121 victims of the scams and 10 victims of identity theft. These victims are located across Spain, including the Canary Islands.
Among those arrested were three members of a family. They kept the elderly man isolated, controlling him and preventing him from contacting his family. Police say the man was forced to beg, and his identity was used to open bank accounts. The criminal group then used these accounts to deposit money from their scams.
The investigation started in February 2025. It began when someone reported being scammed out of 280 euros for a puppy they never received. After this report, the Bizkaia Civil Guard noticed a pattern, which led them to uncover a criminal network posting fake ads on classifieds websites.
The scammers would contact buyers and ask for more money, using excuses like vaccination, transport, cages, microchips, or insurance. Most payments were made through Bizum or bank transfers.
The group used clever ways to hide who they were, including fake or stolen documents, temporary phone numbers, and a network of 57 bank accounts. They also used a money laundering method called "smurfing," which involves breaking up large sums of money into many small payments.
The Civil Guard has frozen all 57 bank accounts and 23 phone lines connected to the network. It's thought that the scams have cost victims over 36,000 euros, but this amount could go up as the investigation continues.
Many of the people involved were also claiming social benefits like the Minimum Living Income (IMV) or regional aid, while not declaring any job income. Some of the money they made from scams was invested in cryptocurrencies, now worth over 55,000 euros. It's believed they illegally collected as much as 560,000 euros in public aid.
Those arrested face charges including ongoing fraud, money laundering, identity theft, being part of a criminal group, human trafficking, and physical abuse (without causing injury). The operation is still active, as police aim to find more victims, identify other linked accounts, and get back the stolen money.
While it is legal to buy animals online in Spain from approved breeders and centers, the Civil Guard wants to remind people that it's important to: