Latest news with #criminalgang
LBCI
3 days ago
- Politics
- LBCI
Israel admits to supporting anti-Hamas armed group in Gaza
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu admitted that Israel is supporting an armed group in Gaza that opposes the militant group Hamas, following comments by a former minister that Israel had transferred weapons to it. Israeli and Palestinian media have reported that the group Israel has been working with is part of a local Bedouin tribe led by Yasser Abu Shabab. The European Council on Foreign Relations (EFCR) think tank describes Abu Shabab as the leader of a 'criminal gang operating in the Rafah area that is widely accused of looting aid trucks.' AFP
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Fifth suspect arrested after man killed in downtown Huntington Beach
A fifth suspect was arrested after a man was killed outside a downtown Huntington Beach restaurant. On Thursday, police announced Magdaleno Barragan, 26, of Huntington Beach, was arrested in connection with the murder of Rozzalle Hellens, 29, of Anaheim. On September 15, 2024, Huntington Beach police responded to reports of an injured person near the Longboard Restaurant & Bar on Main Street around 2 a.m. Police found Hellens suffering from significant injuries. He was transported to the hospital where he was pronounced dead. The attackers had fled the scene. Police began investigating and later identified four Huntington Beach residents as suspects in Hellens' murder: Jesus Torres-Martinez, 22 Roberto Lopez, 25 Michael Cardoso, 29 Arnaldo Malaca, 33 On May 14, Malaca was arrested for murder, carrying a concealed firearm, conspiracy (to commit murder), criminal street gang activity and carrying a concealed firearm in public. The other three men were also arrested for murder, conspiracy, criminal street gang activity, and accessory to murder. A fifth suspect, Barragan, remained at large. On May 28, officers located him in Bakersfield. Barragan was transported to the Huntington Beach Jail where he was booked for murder, conspiracy, criminal street gang activity and accessory. Details surrounding the homicide, including a motive and whether Hellens was previously known to the suspects, were not released by authorities. Police did not provide information on the type of injuries the victim sustained. Barragan, along with the other four suspects, are being held on $1 million bail. An arraignment hearing for Barragan is scheduled on May 30. The investigation remains ongoing, and no additional details will be released at this time. Anyone with information on the case is asked to call Major Crimes Unit Detective Sergeant Anthony Pham at 714-878-5640. Anonymous tips can be provided to OC Crime Stoppers at 1-855-847-6227 or online at Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Sun
29-05-2025
- General
- The Sun
Majorca police arrest nearly 50 pickpockets in one month and draft in reinforcements ahead of summer crime wave
NEARLY 50 pickpockets and petty thieves targeting tourist victims have been arrested in the past month by police in Majorca. The pickpocketing spree has prompted cops to draft in early reinforcements to tackle an expected summer crime wave. 3 3 3 National Police on the holiday island announced on Monday they had brought forward 'Operation Summer' by bringing in extra officers from the mainland. These officers specialise in 'prevent and rapid response' crimefighting to work along town hall-employed local police. A spokesman for the force in Majorca said: 'They will serve on the island for a month as a prelude to the incorporation of other units who will work in the municipality of Palma ahead of the arrival of reinforcements in Manacor in Majorca, Ibiza and Menorca.' Overnight detectives in Majorca revealed the first arrest figures linked to the 'Operation Summer' advance. A National Police spokesman said: 'So far 19 people have been arrested in Palma's Playa de Palma coastal area, most pickpockets and petty thieves acting at night-time. 'And in Palma's urban area itself 30 people have been arrested who are also mostly pickpockets.' Detailing the latest arrests this week, the spokesman added: 'On Tuesday police in Playa de Palma arrested three men, two Romanians and a Moroccan, on suspicion of theft, fraud and misappropriation.. 'One of them turned out to be wanted for drug trafficking. 'They are members of a criminal gang specialising in targeting tourists holidaying on the Majorcan coast. 'They acted on a task-sharing basis, taking belongings from holidaymakers including wallets and purses with ID documents and bank cards they then used for purchases in different shops or to take out money from cash machines. 'When they were arrested officers seized a rental car they had not returned to the hire car firm which they are suspected of intending to keep. '€1,200 in cash was also confiscated from them along with two mobiles phones worth more than £850 each, documents and other high-end stolen items like designer sunglasses. 'All the items recovered had been reported stolen and have been returned to their rightful owners. 'In the early hours of Tuesday morning police arrested two minors in Playa de Palma they had spotted crawling across the sand to to take the belongings of some tourists who were in the sea. 'They were intercepted and the stolen items recovered. 'The detainees reacted aggressively when they were being arrested by kicking and punching the officers. 'On Tuesday afternoon around 3.30pm near Palma Cathedral two pickpockets were intercepted by police as they pinched a purse from a holidaymaker's bag. 'The officers were able to return the stolen purse, which had 1,500 US dollars and other valuables inside, to the victim on the spot.' One police insider said today after the figures were released: 'The criminals we are tackling with Operation Summer have their sights set on tourists who tend to be more distracted and carry large amounts of cash with them. 'Many of the offenders are being caught red-handed by undercover cops disguised as holidaymakers themselves so they can blend in better.' Although Playa de Palma east of the Majorcan capital is more popular with German and Dutch tourists than British visitors to the island, Brits are among the top victims in Palma centre. The pickpocket and petty theft figures released by National Police earlier this week are separate to those of another national Spanish police force, the Civil Guard, who are responsible for areas like Magaluf. The Civil Guard also brings in reinforcements every summer in Majorca to cope with the influx of criminals who base themselves on the island during peak season to take advantage of the fact there are more people to target than in winter. It comes following a similar warning to tourists visiting the popular spot Benidorm over the summer. Spanish cops have urged Brit holidaymakers to take care after footage surfaced showing tourists being targeted on "muggers alley". The Policia Nacional told The Spanish Eye it has had multiple reports from victims and has "intervened and arrested the perpetrators several times." It added: "As a preventative measure, continuous patrols are carried out in this area, as well as throughout the rest of the town, to prevent the commission of this crime."
BreakingNews.ie
28-05-2025
- General
- BreakingNews.ie
Man (20s) arrested after gardaí seize drugs worth €415,000
A man has been arrested after a major drug seizure in Dublin. Multiple industrial premises were searched in west Dublin as part of an investigation into a criminal gang in the area. Advertisement Gardaí seized 1.65kg of cocaine, 4kg of ketamine and 1kg of MDMA, as well as drug paraphernalia. The total estimated value of the seizure is €415,500, pending further analysis. A man in his 20s was arrested and remains in custody at a Garda station in the Dublin Region.
Telegraph
24-05-2025
- Telegraph
Bulgarian gang charged £800 for illegal UK benefits ‘pack'
A gang charged Bulgarians more than £800 for a pack of fraudulent documents that would allow them to claim benefits in the UK, a court heard. Galina Nikolova, 39, was jailed in May 2024 after she and others 'systematically plundered' the UK's welfare system and stole at least £50 million of taxpayer money. Now, new details have emerged about the inner workings of her operation as prosecutors try to recoup some of the gang's fortune before they are deported to Bulgaria. Nikolova, 39, Tsvetka Todorova, 53, Gyunesh Ali, 34, Patritsia Paneva, 27, and Stoyan Stoyanov, 28, were jailed for a combined 25 years in May last year at Wood Green Crown court. The gang operated by creating false benefits claims for Universal Credit with an array of forged documents that used the identities of real people – who were living in Bulgaria, complicit in the scheme and received a share of the money. They claimed the people were living and working in the UK and were therefore entitled to benefits. At a hearing at Wood Green Crown court this week, details emerged about how much Nikolova charged and how many customers she had. The court heard that she charged £830 for a 'full pack' of fraudulent documents, which she would then submit to the Department for Work and Pension on her customers' behalf. She charged £80 for a National Insurance document and £60 for false tenancy documents. She also offered to provide fake job references and GP letters. The court heard she was involved in at least 2,000 false claims, but the true number is believed to be far higher. Defending Nikolova, Simon Farrell KC, said his client had around £1 million in available assets and did not have any funds hidden away. He said that since being jailed she had been cooperating with authorities including revealing details of properties she owned in Bulgaria. Pleading for deportation Nikolova is desperate for the confiscation proceedings to end so that she can be deported. Despite being sentenced to eight years in prison last year, she became eligible for deportation only five months later in October under the government's early removal scheme. Were it not for the ongoing proceedings she would already have been sent home where it is understood she will be free and not forced to serve the remainder of her sentence. Judge David Aaronberg KC said he was 'very conscious of the fact she is desperate to get back to Bulgaria and to her children'. At a previous hearing he expressed surprise that she would be released so soon into her sentence. He said that Nikolova had been jailed for a 'vast fraud' which she was 'substantially involved in'. Attempting to recover £4m Stoyanov, Nikolova's partner, who attended the hearing, has been released from prison on licence and is also waiting for the confiscation case to finish so he can be deported. He told the Telegraph all he and his partner wanted was to go home and 'live a normal life'. Since the gang was sentenced, confiscation proceedings have been ongoing, as prosecutors try to recover some of the millions stolen. So far only around £1 million has been recouped. The majority of the money is believed to be with people living in Bulgaria. Prosecutors were initially trying to recover around £40 million from Nikolova, but that amount has been reduced and they are now understood to be seeking around £4 million. The exact amount each defendant will be ordered to repay will be decided at a hearing this summer.
