Police arrest 87 people in major anti-crime operation in Barcelona

Authorities target repeat offenders in a massive overnight sweep across the metropolitan area.

Generic image of a Mossos d'Esquadra police vehicle during a night operation.
IA

Generic image of a Mossos d'Esquadra police vehicle during a night operation.

The Mossos d'Esquadra police force detained 87 people last night in Barcelona and surrounding cities as part of a crackdown on repeat offenders who shared a total of 293 criminal records.

The operation, known as Plan Kanpai, resulted in 42 arrests in Barcelona city alone. Officers identified over 1,000 individuals and seized twenty weapons. Charges included immigration violations, breach of sentencing, and outstanding warrants. The sweep extended to nearby towns such as Badalona, Sabadell, and L'Hospitalet de Llobregat.
In a separate case, police in Rubí arrested a couple suspected of stealing 71 high-end smartphones. The pair allegedly targeted young women at nightclubs and local festivals in cities like Tarragona, Lleida, and Mataró. Investigators found a notebook detailing dates for major festivals across Catalonia used to plan their thefts.