ARCHIVED - Violent gang recruited vulnerable young men to start mass fights in Novelda
ARCHIVED ARTICLE
Three people have been arrested in the Baix Vinalopo town following a number of brawls for "no apparent reason"
Police in Novelda have arrested three men believed to be responsible for recruiting young and often vulnerable people to provoke mass brawls in the town, causing fear and "insecurity" amongst residents.
In one of the fights, three local men suffered serious injuries and required immediate medical assistance. A fourth victim, a police officer, was assaulted while trying to arrest one of the alleged attackers.
Novelda Guardia Civil initiated 'Operation Deroko' last month and investigators quickly linked a number of similar mass brawls in the town and Alicante between July and October. During one of the street scraps in Alicante, a mobile phone was stolen.
On another occasion, in Novelda in July, neighbours witnessed the gang allegedly striding menacingly with an "intimidating attitude" along a residential street wielding various blunt objects.
A number of calls were made to the police. When they arrived, things turned violent, two cops were assaulted and arrests were made.
But the gang was finally shut down on October 25. Following a three-month investigation, police raided the three main suspects' homes in Novelda having linked the three men, aged between 21 and 28, to each of the reported fights.
They identified the alleged ringleader who reportedly selected "victims" and, assisted by his "strong and stocky" brother, organised the assaults.
The third member of the group allegedly targeted vulnerable young men and youths, who, through deception and manipulation, were used to provoke and remain at the centre of fights so that the "real perpetrators" would go unnoticed by the authorities and cause confusion among witnesses.
According to the police, because of the size of the gang involved in the scraps, it was difficult for witnesses to provide a detailed physical description of all those involved.
During the searches, 29 phones were seized, as well as other mobile devices, 57 shotgun cartridges and several bladed weapons.
The trio appeared at Novelda Court on October 27 charged with several counts of causing injury, criminal damage, assaulting police officers and belonging to a criminal gang.
Two of the men were remanded in custody, whilst the third was also jailed for other offences committed in 2018.
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