Dismantled a “bloc” of the violent youth gang BLOOD settled in the southern area of the province of Segovia

• In the operation, the leader of the band was arrested, who had captured six other people, also arrested, for their alleged participation in the crimes of belonging to a criminal organization, threats and coercion; as well as for the perpetration of various crimes against the heritage for burglary in homes and indoors vehicles • This young man had changed his place of residence from Madrid to the Segovian town of Los Angeles of San Rafael after being threatened by a rival gang

July 12, 2023.- Agents of the National Police, in a joint operation with the Civil Guard, 'Acacias Azuvera', have arrested, on July 4, seven people in the Segovian centers of Los Angeles of San Rafael, El Espinar and San Rafael, for their alleged participation in crimes of coercion, threats and belonging to criminal organization. In addition, the youths allegedly committed numerous violent crimes against the people, engaging in fights against members of rival gangs and stealing heavily in vehicles and homes.

The investigation began in April when Civil Guard agents specialized in violent youth groups learned of a series of altercations and criminal acts carried out by a group of young people who caused some social alarm among the inhabitants and neighbors of the different towns south of the province of Segovia and who were promoted under the direction of a person who publicized himself as the leader of a violent gang for criminal purposes.

He had created his own "Bloc" of Blood

It was then that the possible presence of a violent youth group of Latino origin was detected that would be driven by the leadership of its leader; a well-known senior member of BLOOD for National Police officers and who had created a new “bloc” in Segovia.

The detained leader is a young man who changed his place of residence from Madrid to the Segovian town of Los Angeles in San Rafael with the intention of hiding from a rival gang that had him in their sights. Once there, and following the orders of those responsible at the national level of the band, he began to carry out tasks of proselytizing and recruiting new members to integrate them into the band and create a violent group of his own. Thus, he managed to capture several young people and erect himself as the leader of a "bloc" of BLOOD, directing his activity and coordinating the carrying out of robberies with force in homes and vehicles and aggressions and confrontation against rival groups and bands.

These recruitment activities were carried out mainly in schools and institutes, as well as meeting places for young people and adolescents such as sports centers or parks. The leader also used his social media profiles to publicize his ideals and advocate the use of violence against members of rival gangs. Once new members joined the band, they were forced to create profiles in order to achieve greater visibility among the other young people in the area.

In this way, to achieve the leader’s purposes, the group committed various criminal acts in the area, mainly robberies, and aggressions that they carried out in a group, organized and violent manner, threatening members who refused to participate in it.

It is common in this type of violent youth gangs that members, with the false promise of achieving a higher power status within the organization and having protection by the rest of the members and a strong feeling of belonging, are induced or even forced under threats by the members of higher rank to commit illegal activities. The age range for recruitment was mainly among young people, who are more vulnerable and are integrated into a hierarchical position of lower weight within it.

"Blood inside, blood outside" was the number one standard

After several months of in-depth investigation, the agents carried out the exploitation of the operation and made several records where numerous effects necessary for the continuation of the investigation were intervened and which corroborate the facts that gave rise to the investigation.

The special police force deployed has involved officers from the Information Headquarters (UCE-3) and the Information Group of the Segovia Command, on the part of the Civil Guard; and on the part of the National Police of officers from the General Information Commissariat and the Provincial Information Brigade of Segovia. This has also required the support of technical teams, such as computer and technological specialists, canine guides and given the dangerous way in which this type of violent youth groups usually operate, the intervention of the Reserve and Security Group (ARS) and the USECIC of the Segovia Command of the Civil Guard has been necessary.

BLOOD -Brotherly Love Overcomes Oppression and Destruction-

This operation dismantles that violent group which, in addition to meaning ‘blood’ in English, is an acronym for ‘Brotherly Love Overcomes Oppression and Destruction’.

It is a violent band born in 1972 in the American city of Los Angeles and that decades later spread throughout Europe. Like other violent youth gangs, they form organized and strongly hierarchical groups -"blocks" or "sets" - where they capture minors in vulnerable situations who use them to commit illicit activities as a means of financing the gang. The members of BLOOD use their own and distinctive symbology such as the style and brands of the specific clothes or use of the color black and red and carry bands, necklaces and bracelets with which they show their commitment and position within the group.

The result of this operation highlights the collaboration of the State Security Forces and Corps in the fight against this type of organized crime, as well as the importance of proactive and preventive work in order to prevent the expansion of this type of gangs and the excessive use of violence that characterizes them.

The investigation has been led by the Segovia Juvenile Prosecutor’s Office and the Segovia Juvenile Court, to whose disposal the detainees were handed over, having decreed the internment in a Closed Regime Center of the leader of the gang, thus achieving the dismantling of the incipient “block”.