Andorra Police Arrest Five Men in New Year's Eve Assault on Minor Tourist

Police in Andorra have arrested five young men in connection with an alleged group sexual assault on a minor tourist that took place on New Year's Eve in Pas de la Casa. The detentions occurred on Wednesday morning following a judicial order issued as part of an ongoing investigation into crimes against sexual liberty.

The case originated on 1 January when the victim, a tourist girl, sought treatment at a hospital after reporting a sexual abuse at a private residence in Pas de la Casa. Hospital staff activated a purple code protocol, prompting immediate police action. That afternoon, officers detained a 23-year-old local resident in Pas de la Casa. Early the next day, in Canillo, they arrested a second suspect, a resident of that parish. Both faced initial accusations of rape.

During the initial probe, video footage recorded by one of the main suspects led investigators—and initially the presiding judge—to conclude the sexual contact had been consensual. The group had met at a nightclub, where the girl reportedly claimed to be older than she was. All involved showed signs of heavy alcohol consumption. The second detainee was released without charges, while the first was processed not for rape but for unlawfully recording the encounter without the girl's knowledge.

New evidence gathered during the judicial inquiry prompted the judge to revisit the case. On Wednesday, police re-arrested the original two suspects—now described as around 24 years old—and took three additional men of similar age into custody. The primary pair now face charges of rape and illegal recording of the assault. The other three were detained to clarify the handling and distribution of the images.

Sources note that the victim's minor status in the footage classifies the material as child pornography, potentially implicating the men in production, possession, or dissemination depending on their roles. The three newer detainees were released after questioning but had their mobile devices seized for forensic analysis. The investigation continues to determine if the images spread further.

In a separate incident this week, police arrested a 42-year-old man in Andorra la Vella for an alleged rape in a private home last July, also triggered by a hospital purple code. Authorities have not released further details on either case's progress.