Even ‘MCPollo’ didn’t escape the thieves at Tenerife South Airport
The Guardia Civil has completed a major operation at Tenerife South Airport, dismantling a large-scale criminal network accused of stealing valuables from passenger luggage. The investigation, which began nearly two years ago, has now resulted in 44 arrests and 41 additional people under investigation, a total of 85 individuals implicated.
According to their reports, the group consisted largely of airport workers who allegedly took advantage of their access to baggage handling areas to systematically rob travellers’ suitcases. The combined investigations, codenamed Operation Oretel and Operation Boro TF, uncovered a sophisticated network responsible for theft, money laundering, and organised crime.
A Widespread Airport Theft Scheme
The initial phase of the investigation in December 2023 led to 14 arrests and 20 formal investigations among staff employed by companies operating at Tenerife South. The follow-up phase, which was concluded this week, saw a further 30 people detained and 21 more placed under investigation.
The network is accused of robbing luggage directly inside aircraft holds before take-off. Using their positions as baggage handlers, the suspects allegedly worked in coordinated teams, slowing down the loading process to give themselves more time to search bags. They would open zips with small tools, remove valuable items such as jewellery, watches, mobile phones, and electronics, then re-seal the bags to conceal evidence of tampering.
To avoid detection, the thieves even created makeshift barriers using luggage and rigid tarpaulins to block visibility inside the aircraft hold. The Guardia Civil said the group was highly organised and hierarchical, with specific roles assigned for each stage of the crime, from selecting flights and removing items, to smuggling goods out of the airport and selling them through jewellery shops or online. The alleged ringleader was known by the nickname “El Almendra.”
The Return of “MCPollo”
In an unexpected twist, one of the seized items, a plastic chicken toy nicknamed “MCPollo”, became a viral sensation after being spotted among piles of cash and valuables in police photos released in 2023.
The toy, as reported by Diario de Avisos, turned out to be a souvenir from Shanghai and the mascot of Spain’s national race-walking team, one of the country’s most successful athletics squads. The team publicly thanked the Guardia Civil for recovering their quirky talisman, joking that even “MCPollo hadn’t escaped the airport thieves.”
Nearly €2 Million in Stolen Goods
By late 2023, investigators had already estimated the value of the stolen goods at almost €2 million. Searches of employee lockers, homes, and vehicles uncovered 29 luxury watches, 120 pieces of gold and gemstone jewellery, 22 high-end mobile phones, various electronic devices, €13,000 in cash, and a luxury car.
Following the trail of stolen jewellery, officers discovered that much of the loot had been sold to a jewellery shop in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, which allegedly acted as a front for laundering the stolen items. During a recent inspection, police seized over €59,000 worth of jewellery believed to have come from passenger luggage.
Investigation and Legal Proceedings
The extensive police work was carried out by the Fiscal and Border Investigation Unit (UAFIF) at Tenerife South Airport, with support from the Citizen Security Unit (USECIC) and the Judicial Police Division, under the direction of the Court of Instruction No. 4 of Granadilla de Abona.
The Guardia Civil has confirmed that the operation marks the final phase of the investigation, successfully dismantling a criminal network that had infiltrated airport services and targeted thousands of travellers passing through one of Spain’s busiest holiday gateways.
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