Spain’s New Police Unit Targets Organized Crime Through Financial Strangulation

Spain’s approach to fighting organized crime has shifted significantly with the success of the Organized Crime Asset Recovery Group (GRACO). In its first year, this National Police unit seized 15.5 million euros, signaling a new strategy: instead of just arresting criminals, police are now focusing on "financial strangulation" to dismantle the networks that have long proven resistant to traditional law enforcement.

Since January 2025, the unit has operated nationwide, with major activity in Tenerife, Valencia, and Torrelavega. In Tenerife, the "Baltic" operation alone resulted in the seizure of five million euros in assets. These efforts align with European goals to improve the recovery of illicit profits, as currently, only about 2% of criminal proceeds are seized globally.

GRACO’s seizures are as varied as the methods used to launder money. Beyond real estate and bank accounts, the unit blocks everything from high-end vehicles to everyday items like game consoles and electric scooters to ensure no assets are left behind. Working alongside the Asset Recovery and Management Office (ORGA) and the Anti-Drug Prosecutor’s Office, the unit ensures these assets are managed properly so they can eventually be sold to benefit the public treasury and compensate victims.

Managing cryptocurrencies remains a major technical hurdle. To handle this, the unit now uses a judicial protocol that places digital wallets under the custody of specialized security firms, providing much-needed legal security for ongoing investigations.

GRACO has already played a key role in several major cases, including investigations into extortion, multi-crime groups in Cantabria, and fraud networks targeting the elderly. While these criminal schemes are sophisticated, investigators have noted that they do not yet see the high level of professional "straw men" often found in larger money laundering operations. By working closely with other specialized police units, GRACO aims to cripple criminal gangs by cutting off their lifeblood: their money.