Three of the four suspects in the investigation into the alleged sale of minors were remanded in custody in Spain on Friday, 6 November. The four people arrested had appeared before a court beforehand. The measures follow a joint operation by Policía Nacional and Guardia Civil involving searches in Linares (Jaén province), Montijo (province of Badajozand the city of Badajoz.
According to the authorities, six children aged between one and 11, believed to be the main suspects’ children, were located during the operation. Two of the minors are in a Portuguese protection centre under the care of the authorities there. Other children were placed under the responsibility of the Junta de Extremadura or temporarily placed in the care of family members. In Spain, child protection is the responsibility of the autonomous communities; in Extremadura, the Junta coordinates temporary placements and follow-up measures in consultation with the courts.
According to police, the investigation was triggered by a request from Portugal’s Polícia Judiciária. In Portugal clarifying the origins of a one-year-old girl had yielded new leads that led to the measures now carried out in Spain. The cross-border trail highlights the close cooperation between security authorities, which enabled searches to be conducted simultaneously at several locations. During the operations, officers seized documents and data storage devices as part of the ongoing evidence-gathering process.
Spain’s Government Delegate in Extremadura, María Teresa Macías, confirmed cooperation with the Portuguese authorities and said that protecting the children took priority over giving details of the investigation’s progress. A subsequent report said that three of the four suspects brought before the court had been remanded in custody without bail; two people arrested earlier had already been released.
Initial assessments suggest that the offences under consideration may include human trafficking and offences relating to civil status. Investigating judges and prosecutors in the locations concerned are responsible for the next steps. Specific charges will follow a review of the case file and assessment of the seized evidence. The authorities are withholding identifying personal details to protect the minors concerned. The investigation is ongoing; further progress depends on formal decisions by the court with jurisdiction. Security forces have so far given no information about possible further arrests.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).