Spain arrests six in Tren de Aragua crypto ring after €1.3M theft

The National Police opened an investigation in August 2025 after a reported theft at a Madrid residence. Officers arrested six people they reported belonged to a group linked to the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua and recovered €1.3 million in cryptocurrency and €1.5 million in jewelry and watches.

Police reported the suspects targeted high-profile individuals, conducted surveillance and used coercion and violence to seize assets. In several incidents victims were tied, gagged and held at gunpoint; in one case a gunshot was fired when a victim resisted.

Investigators reported the group arranged meetings in rented holiday apartments under false pretenses to compel victims to surrender cash, valuables and crypto holdings. Officers indicated suspects forced transfers or physical surrender of devices used to access digital currency accounts during confrontations.

Authorities connected the six detainees to a wider network with ties to Tren de Aragua. Three of the suspects have been ordered jailed pending prosecution. The detained individuals face charges including membership in a criminal organization, violent robbery, unlawful detention, fraud and crimes against public health.

Tren de Aragua originated in Venezuela and has been linked to the use of cryptocurrencies for theft and laundering. The U.S. government designated the group a Foreign Terrorist Organization and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist in February 2025, following earlier sanctions by the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control.

Spanish authorities described the arrests as part of international efforts to disrupt criminal networks that use virtual assets. In July, Chilean police disarmed a subgroup called ‘Tren del Mar’ that investigators reported laundered more than $13.5 million.

Prosecutors will build cases using recovered property, witness statements and digital forensics. Police stated the operation aims to recover stolen items and limit the group’s ability to move and conceal criminal proceeds through cryptocurrencies.