The police likewise said that officers also seized ten kilos of gold jewelry, a significant amount of cash, luxury automobiles and a motorcycle during the operation. Money for these items had probably been obtained by selling drugs.
The State Police carried out the sweeping operation on April 4 in collaboration with Omega counterterrorism squad and other law enforcement units. All seven suspects, including six men born in 1965, 1993, 1987 and 1993 and a woman born in 2000, were detained a relatively short period of time.
Two of the men detained as part of the operation had previous criminal records related to drug dealing. The woman, who managed the drug dealing business, had no previous criminal record. The police notes that this means that the gang had been operating very secretly and cautiously to avoid being caught.
Investigators established that the suspects had been selling narcotics in Riga, its area, and the western Latvian province of Kurzeme, as well as in other Baltic states.
A criminal procedure has been launched against the members of the gang for organized large-scale sale and possession of narcotics, as well as for laundering of illegal proceeds.
Five of the suspects have been remanded in custody.
The total value of the assets seized as part of the probe is an estimated €1.36 million. The seized assets include seven private houses with land, one land property, five luxury vehicles, including two Bentleys, a Mercedes Benz S-Class, a BMW 535, a BMW X6 and a motorcycle. A company has also been frozen in the probe.
