National Court Judge Santiago Pedraz ordered the Guardia Civil's Central Operative Unit (UCO) to keep its investigation into the PSOE "slush funds" (cloacas) secret, thereby preventing the body's political leadership—including Director General Mercedes González and Deputy Operational Director Manuel Llamas—from being informed prior to the raids on May 27. Pedraz demanded that the UCO report only to him and the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office to prevent leaks, a measure similar to that taken in the Plus Ultra case where distrust of police leadership existed. The strategy aimed to ensure the secrecy of the inquiries, which have led to the indictment of high-ranking officials and requests for pretrial detention by the prosecution.