Ten people have been arrested following an anti-terror operation carried out by Spain’s National Police in Alicante and several other provinces. The coordinated raids took place on Wednesday in Alicante, Málaga, Barcelona, Madrid and Murcia, under the direction of the National Court, now known as the Central Court of Instance.

Most of those detained are reported to be Eastern European nationals, mainly from Chechnya. Arrests were made in Alicante city, Xixona, the Torrevieja and Orihuela Costa areas, and in Calp, where officers also discovered a marijuana plantation during a search.

The operation involved officers from the General Information Commissariat, supported by Alicante’s Provincial Information Brigade, the Citizen Security Prevention and Response Unit, and the elite Special Operations Group, which carried out at least one arrest in Xixona.

All suspects have been transferred to Madrid, where case files were being finalised on Thursday. They are expected to appear before the duty court of the National Court later on Friday. The investigation remains open and further arrests have not been ruled out.