The Unidad Central Operativa (UCO) of the Guardia Civil has conducted a search of the residence of José Luis Ábalos, the former Spanish Minister of Transport, in Valencia, as part of an ongoing investigation into alleged corruption.

This operation began early on the morning of June 10, 2025, and follows an order from Supreme Court magistrate Leopoldo Puente related to the ongoing _Koldo case_, which is examining possible irregularities concerning public works contract awards during Ábalos's time in office.

The UCO's actions included searching Ábalos's home and a commercial establishment located beneath it, seeking documentation and evidence regarding public works contracts that were reportedly manipulated in favor of certain construction companies.

Agents reportedly cloned electronic devices found at the location and seized various documents connected to the former minister.

Legal representatives were present during the raid, which was completed in the late afternoon.

The investigation centers on allegations made by businessman Víctor de Aldama, who claimed that Ábalos received commissions from construction companies for the manipulation of contract allocations awarded by the Ministry of Transport.

A prior ruling by magistrate Puente indicated that recordings found on the mobile phone of Ábalos's former advisory aide, Koldo García, suggested that the ex-minister acknowledged receiving economic advantages in exchange for awarding contracts.

Further investigations ordered by Puente on April 23 necessitated the identification of companies that received public works contracts and scrutiny of the awarding processes involved.

Javier Herrero, the former director general of Roads, testified to the Supreme Court that many of the contracts linked to Aldama’s claims were awarded under the government led by the Socialist Party (PSOE).

The judicial probe into Ábalos involves several allegations, including bribery, influence peddling, and membership in a criminal organization.

The investigation was prompted by evidence indicating that multiple public contracts, primarily in Navarre and Valencia, were subject to irregularities reflected in alleged backdoor dealings.

Investigators from the UCO spent approximately nine hours executing the search operation, which included examining multiple construction firms under suspicion of colluding in these alleged scams.

These firms have been linked to improper dealings involving public projects valued at over 54 million euros, based on documentation provided by Aldama, which details 128 public contracts over the span of three years.

Additionally, the UCO has been simultaneously executing searches at various construction companies across the country, aiming to gather more tangible evidence related to the suspected payouts for contract awards.

Legal analysts note the gravity of the criminal allegations under review by the Supreme Court, highlighting the high-profile nature of the case given the involvement of a former government minister.

The intricate connections between political figures and business entities continue to scrutinize the integrity of public contract processes in Spain.