Three people were arrested in the “Aurélia-Belona” operation carried out by Portuguese and Spanish authorities
Eight women victims of sexual exploitation by an international network operating from the Algarve were released in Spain, as part of a joint operation by Spanish and Portuguese authorities, it was announced this Sunday.
The police operation, called “Aurélia-Belona”, took place in cooperation with the Guardia Civil, Mossos d’Esquadra and the Judiciary Police, and culminated in the arrest of three people, including a couple who led the organization from the Algarve, reports the EFE news agency, which cites the Spanish authorities.
The couple, a 44-year-old man and a 29-year-old woman, both of foreign nationality, were arrested on October 7, in Boliqueime, in the municipality of Loulé, in compliance with European arrest warrants, on suspicion of human trafficking in Spain, the PJ revealed at the time.
During the house searches carried out by the PJ, “instruments relevant to the facts under investigation” were seized, as well as narcotic products, cannabis in the planting phase, and a significant number of ammunition for prohibited caliber firearms.
The third arrest took place in Lleida (Spain) and, according to the Spanish police, he was the person in charge of controlling the victims on Spanish territory.
The now dismantled network recruited women in vulnerable situations in South America, in some cases using paramilitary structures to guarantee their travel.
One of the women was transported through several Asian countries before arriving in Spain, where she continued to be exploited in different provinces, according to EFE.
The investigation began in 2024 and culminated in simultaneous searches in Lérida, Tudela (Navarra), Irun (Guipuscoa), in Spain, and in the district of Faro (Portugal), with eight women from several South American countries being released.
The victims were rescued and are receiving specialized support, in accordance with protocols to combat human trafficking.
In addition to several documents, authorities seized 3,800 euros in cash, electronic devices, ammunition, narcotic products and other elements considered relevant to the process, according to EFE.
In Portugal, the two main suspects of being the leaders of the network also face charges of drug trafficking and illegal possession of weapons.
The Barcelona Court of Instruction ordered preventive detention for the three detainees.
The operation is considered a significant step in the fight against transnational crime linked to sexual exploitation in the Iberian Peninsula, as it reveals the networks’ capacity to operate in several countries and use complex routes to move victims.
The authorities emphasize that international cooperation was decisive in interrupting a criminal scheme that had been going on for more than a year.
