The operation, which includes personnel from the National Police, Europol, Interpol, and the European Anti-Fraud Office (Olaf), forced the immediate closure of the venue. Officers entered the market around 10:00 AM, ordering vendors not to touch any items and instructing shoppers to leave the premises.
Searches focused on stalls selling footwear, jewelry, and clothing, while food stalls, such as those selling fruits and vegetables, were the only ones allowed to resume operations later. The deployment led to the closure of several access roads around the Martínez Valero stadium, where a heavy security presence remains.
“"This is a disaster for us, because when it's not raining, it's windy, and this Sunday, on top of that, this happens."
Although authorities have not provided official figures on the number of arrests or the amount of material seized, the final toll is expected to be high given the scale of the operation. Vendors have lamented the financial losses resulting from the forced interruption of the business day during a peak period.
