An alarming panorama
Catalonia faces a situation of growing insecurity, marked by a significant increase in violent acts. The statistics of 2024 reveal a worrying increase in the number of shootings and the proliferation of firearms, which reflect an increasingly disturbing reality.
The figures that speak
With a record of 70 shootings and 445 confiscated weapons, Catalonia has entered a critical phase of violence associated with drug trafficking. The data indicates an increase of 14% in the weapons involved with respect to 2023, including 21 weapons of war, a fact that underlines the severity of the situation.
A war scenario
Authorities have observed a rise in murders, many of which are attributed to clashes between clans. Neighborhoods such as La Mina and Sant Cosme, as well as cities like Badalona, have become focus of conflicts. In January he witnessed a shooting that surpassed the 200 shots, reflecting the intensity of these clashes.
The impact of drug trafficking
The war between the Mafias has reached a high point, with a recent double shootout in Terrassa that has left a dead and a wounded one, investigated as an adjustment of accounts between Dominican bands. Homicides associated with firearms have increased, with an alarming number of cases in just two months by 2024.
The standardization of weapons
The increase in the availability of firearms has grown from a rare phenomenon to an everyday reality. Currently, 45% of confiscated weapons are guns, while 55% are long weapons. This standardization has led the Ministry of the Interior to allocate more than one million euros in a weapons control plan.
Catalonia, a new epicenter of crime
The consolidation of marijuana cultivation has made Catalonia an attractive territory for the most dangerous mobs in the world. Bands use weapons of war, such as AK-47, in a struggle to control the market, which has increased violence compared to other regions of Europe, such as Marseille or Sweden.
An uncertain future
Authorities fear that the situation may degenerate as has happened in other countries where criminal bands have overcome state control capacity. The use of minors by the bands, who often do not know how to manage violence, could lead to devastating consequences for the civilian population.
Final reflections
The situation in Catalonia requires an urgent and coordinated response. Civil society, together with the authorities, must work to deal with this growing threat and restore security in the affected communities. The path ahead is difficult, but union and determination can make a difference.
