561 violent and dangerous organised crime rackets have been dismantled, involving 6,000 arrests and the seizure of stolen goods valued at a total of 270 million euros.
According to the ministry, these gangs mainly concentrate on drug-trafficking, robberies and burglaries, human trafficking and crimes against civilians, including violence and kidnap.
The majority – 86 per cent – have been running for less than three years, says minister Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba.
He attributes the fact that they do not last for much longer than this length of time to increased efficiency in the police force.
Surprisingly, 79 per cent of organised criminal gangs are made up largely of Spanish nationals.
Last year, of the 5,881 people arrested, all bar 3,000 were Spaniards.
Some 870 were from other EU countries.
The stolen goods seized included over 1,500 vehicles, 93 boats, two aeroplanes, about 1,160 computers, 4,300 mobile telephones, and 600 weapons.
Police also confiscated 93 tonnes of hash, 165 kilos of heroin, over 16 tonnes of cocaine and more than 193,000 ecstasy tablets.
Rubalcaba stresses that crime gangs 'do not last long' in Spain and that for any currently in operation, 'their days are numbered'.
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