The Guardia Civil from the Las Palmas Command has dismantled the first textile screen printing factory in Lanzarote dedicated to producing counterfeit clothing for sale within the Canary Islands. During the operation, 16 bank accounts holding €179,000 were frozen and €47,000 in cash was seized. The distribution and sale of counterfeit goods valued at €8 million was successfully prevented.
Details of the Operation
The operation resulted in the arrest of four individuals aged between 26 and 53, with a fifth person under investigation for alleged crimes against intellectual property, membership in a criminal group, and violations of labour rights.
The investigation commenced in July 2025 after inspections of several containers of clothing arriving in Lanzarote led officers to an industrial warehouse in the municipality of Arrecife. Here, an industrial clothing factory was discovered where logos and designs of well-known brands were reproduced. According to the Guardia Civil, this operation had been ongoing for at least seven years, employing a structured distribution system across the archipelago.
– Nearly a thousand boxes of prepared counterfeit goods seized
The criminal group imported large quantities of unbranded clothing from wholesale companies in the Madrid community (Cobo Calleja industrial estate in Fuenlabrada, Parla, or Alcobendas), which arrived at the Los Mármoles port in Arrecife. In the industrial facility, counterfeit items were produced using a complex setup of screen printing and specialised machinery, including ten direct ink printing presses, one heat press, and two machines designated for footwear screen printing, all connected to computers for electronic reproduction of logos.
Additionally, agents seized logos, transfers, and labels from brands such as Adidas, Nike, Puma, Lacoste, Calvin Klein, Hugo Boss, Michael Kors, Christian Dior, Armani, Balenciaga, Gucci, Versace, Fila, and Tommy Hilfiger, as well as nearly a thousand boxes of goods prepared for counterfeiting.
– Three domestic searches and one store raid
The operation also involved three searches of residences and one at a shop, where counterfeit goods, cash, and computer materials were confiscated.
The Guardia Civil emphasises that counterfeiting damages the reputation and finances of brands, poses health risks to consumers, and can lead to legal penalties for offenders, in addition to impacting the tourist image and competitiveness in the Canary Islands. The Labour and Social Security Inspection of Las Palmas participated in the investigation to determine any possible fraud against Social Security and labour violations by the criminal group.
