Italian, Spanish, and Belgian police have successfully dismantled an Eastern European criminal network involved in stealing luxury vehicles and smuggling them to Dubai, authorities said Tuesday.
The gang targeted high-end cars at holiday hotspots such as Forte dei Marmi and Cortina in Italy, and Marbella in Spain, using tracking devices to plan their thefts, according to Italy’s Carabinieri police.
Most stolen vehicles—primarily Range Rovers, Lexuses, and Toyotas—were driven to Belgium, where their chassis numbers were altered and fake or cloned license plates were attached before being shipped from Antwerp.
Police seized four stolen cars, key cloning kits, GPS jammers, and other tools used to bypass alarms and security transponders.
EU agencies Eurojust and Europol assisted in investigating the theft of over 100 luxury vehicles since early 2024, with a total estimated value exceeding €3 million ($3.5 million).
The operation targeted 24 suspects, mainly from Moldova, along with individuals from Russia, Romania, and Ukraine. Six were arrested and three placed under house arrest, the Carabinieri confirmed.
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