Two men aged twenty-seven and thirty have been arrested by the National Police in coordination with the Civil Guard, facing accusations of involvement in a criminal organisation dedicated to vehicle theft and alteration for the purpose of smuggling to Lithuania. The operation led to the recovery of two stolen vehicles, which were intended for transport alongside legally sourced cars.

Authorities launched the investigation after multiple vehicle thefts were reported within the same brand across municipalities including Alicante, San Juan, El Campello, and Cartagena. A pivotal incident involved the simultaneous theft of two vehicles in San Juan and El Campello, allowing investigators to connect the suspects and initiate a joint investigation.

The stolen vehicles were found to be ‘altered’, featuring false foreign registration plates and tampered identification elements, such as chassis numbers and manufacturer labels. The suspects were intercepted while coordinating the transport of the unlawful vehicles with the driver of a Lithuanian-registered truck on the AP-7 motorway, en route to Almería.

The driver claimed ignorance of the vehicles’ illicit origins and stated he would receive further instructions upon arrival in Lithuania. This operation has contributed to the resolution of six vehicle theft cases, involving personnel from both the Judicial Police and the Civil Guard.