Over thirty people were arrested in Puerto Rico and the United States during an operation against bank fraud and identity theft held in various municipalities of the Caribbean island and six other states in the U.S.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents today executed 42 arrest warrants in an operation, which also involved the Bank Robbery Division of the Puerto Rican Police and the Department of Finance of the island.

Local media reported that the detainees were taken to the Police Academy Gurabo.

The operation was carried out in nine municipalities of Puerto Rico, and six U.S. states with a total of 35 detainees (2 in the U.S.).

Angel Melendez, the head of ICE in Puerto Rico, said the detainees belonged to an organization operating in the Caribbean island and different areas in the U.S.

Melendez pointed out that in 2012 alone there were over a million complaints for crimes regarding bank fraud and identity theft in the United States, and that the economic impact of these practices results in over $15 million annually.

It is expected that later on today, the head of the Federal Attorney’s Office in Puerto Rico, Rosa Emilia Rodriguez, will provide more details of this operation.

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