Walter Finch
THESE are the incredible sums of hard cash and luxury goods that were found in the home of one of Spain’s most senior police officers.
Officers from Spain’s Internal Affairs Unit who raided the Madrid home of former police chief Oscar Sanchez Gil last November were left stunned by what they found.
Over €20 million in cash was hidden throughout the Villalbilla property in the walls and ceilings, as well as sports bags, safes, shoe boxes, and even a flower pot.
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Another €1 million was found locked in two cupboards at his office, stored in bank notes ranging from €50 to €500
Sanchez, who is now behind bars at Madrid’s Estremera prison, was leading an incredible double life as both a high-ranking officer and a drug trafficker.
It is still unknown just how many tonnes of drugs he facilitated into Spain over the years through his privileged position in the upper echelons of the Policia Nacional.
The opulence was such that they had to vacuum-seal the money into bundles that contained €500 bills – which that stopped being issued in 2018.
His partner, Ignacio Toran – nicknamed ‘Mr. Gucci’ because he was never seen without the brand – was found at his home with several Rolex watches, but no cash. He liked expensive alcohol.
For 11 months, Sanchez’s own colleagues conducted surveillance on him while he continued with his Breaking Bad-style life.
The investigation intensified with 24 days of frantic phone tapping following the October 14 seizure of 13 tonnes of cocaine at Algeciras Port – the largest drug haul in Spanish history.
“I didn’t even know it was scheduled for inspection,” Sánchez complained during a phone call to a customs surveillance agent after learning about the cocaine seizure.
Sources close to the investigation told El Independiente that Sánchez was furious that no one had entered the container details into police coordination systems, which would have allowed him to alert his criminal associates.
The level of infiltration that Sanchez had achieved within police structures is ‘truly concerning,’ according to investigators.
The former head of the Economic and Fiscal Crime Unit (UDEF) had moved from the Drugs and Organized Crime Unit (UDYCO) in 2020 after being promoted to chief inspector.
Internal Affairs is now tracking companies across multiple countries including Poland, Switzerland, and Panama.
Among those arrested was a prestigious lawyer from Madrid’s upscale Salamanca district who allegedly helped create the financial architecture to facilitate money laundering.
Authorities are still uncertain when Sánchez began his criminal activities.
Some speculate it could have been as early as 2016, when he first included one of his major narco associates in the police informant database.
Others point to 2021, when a major drug lord fled Spain after receiving a tip-off about a planned seizure of one tonne of drugs.
The investigation revealed that Sánchez was charging a 40% commission on cocaine shipments entering Spanish ports with his assistance.
Court documents show he received regular payments from a company called Incazam Gestión S.L., controlled by Ignacio Torán, one of the criminal organization’s leaders in Madrid and Sánchez’s main contact.
Investigators observed how Sánchez searched for 550 containers in a short period and entered names of his associates or companies in which he had interests into the GATI database (a police coordination system) to check if they were being investigated.
“Yes, but held back by me. Just accounts. They think he’s loaded because of travels and stuff,” Sánchez told Torán in a monitored conversation about a potential investigation into their operations.
The former police chief repeatedly caught officers conducting surveillance on him and would check vehicle registration details in Interior Ministry systems, apparently believing his actions went unnoticed.
Authorities continue searching for additional assets, with many of the drug profits reportedly invested in cryptocurrencies.
When arrested, Sánchez refused to unlock his phone to call his lawyer.
The investigation also focused on his wife, also a police officer, and particularly his sister-in-law Yolanda Ruiz, whose accounts were overflowing with money despite her rarely leaving home for any employment.
Sources close to the investigation indicate authorities are still pursuing the “big game” – Alejandro Salgado Vega, alias “El Tigre,” one of Madrid’s most important drug traffickers currently based in Dubai.
Some reports suggest he is negotiating surrender, while others claim he provided the tip that led to the investigation.
The case continues under secrecy orders at Spain’s National Court, with further arrests expected as investigators unravel the complex network of shell companies, front men, money launderers, and other collaborators.
“The work of Internal Affairs and UDYCO to arrest their colleague has been tremendous,” said a source close to the investigation, “but the evidence shows we clearly need more resources in the fight against drugs.”
