Central Operative Unit

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Central Operative Unit
Unidad Central Operativa (Spanish)
Emblem of the UCO
Active1987-present
CountrySpain
AgencyCivil Guard
AbbreviationUCO
Structure
Agents550[1]

The Central Operative Unit (Spanish: Unidad Central Operativa, UCO) is a specialized division of the Civil Guard of Spain responsible for the investigation and prosecution of the most serious forms of crime and organized crime, whether national or international, as well as support to the Territorial Units of Judicial Police, that, due to lack of personnel or resources, or because the criminal field is more than one autonomous communities, require the support of this Unit.

Functions[edit]

The main crimes that the UCO investigates are:[2]

Also, the UCO has the duty to realize investigations ordered by a judge, a court or a prosecutor.

Structure[edit]

  • Commander of the Unit (a Civil Guard Colonel).
    • Department of Technical and Operational Support.
    • Department of Criminal Investigation specialized in General Delinquency.
    • Department of Criminal Investigation specialized in Economic and Technological Delinquency.
    • Department of Criminal Investigation specialized in Drug Trafficking and Smuggling.
    • Unit attached to the Anti-Drug Special Attorney's Office.
    • Unit attached to the Anti-Corruption Special Attorney's Office.
    • Teams Against Organized Crime (ECO), six teams through the country.

Important cases[edit]

See also[edit]

References[edit]