Videoclub in Alhaurín was cocaine distribution point

Videoclub in Alhaurín was cocaine distribution point: "Guardia Civil has broken up a cocaine distribution point based in a Videoclub in Alhaurín el Grande in Málaga. An inspection of the premises found tobacco was on sale there without authorisation and the lighters being sold had false bases to contain doses of cocaine.

The main stash of drugs was found concealed behind two electrical power points, thanks to the help to a drug-sniffing dog.

In total 225.5 grams of cocaine and 670 grams of hashish were recovered along with almost a kilo of jewellery with an estimated value just under 10,000 €.
A statement from the Guardia Civil also mentioned three precision scales and a top of range vehicle were impounded.

Two arrests were made, 50 year old A.S.G. the owner of the Videoclub, and another local man, 40 year old A.J.P.M."

15 year old girl vanishes from Granada

15 year old girl vanishes from Granada: "15 year old girl has vanished from the Granada town of Armilla, after taking out the rubbish on Thursday night and not coming back home. The family reported her missing at 4am on Friday.

The child lives with her grandmother and the family has said that a year ago she had a relationship with an older man who they think she has still been seeing behind their backs. Her mobile phone is switched off and a social networking page on the Internet is blocked.

The girl’s aunt has told the police that nothing like this has happened before, and EFE news agency reports that the Guardia Civil has started a search operation."

Kingpin Kinahan's 'right-hand man' is released on bail - Europe, World News - Independent.ie

Kingpin Kinahan's 'right-hand man' is released on bail - Europe, World News - Independent.ie: "ONE of the Irishmen arrested in Spain as part of a global crackdown on a crime empire allegedly headed by Irish drug trafficker Christy Kinahan was enjoying his first day of freedom for nearly a week yesterday after being freed by a judge.
John Cunningham (58), Kinahan's reputed right-hand man, was expected to be sent to jail with a string of other suspects, including Kinahan and his two sons.
But judge Maria Carmen Gutierrez Henares released him on bail after questioning nearly 20 people over three days in the Costa del Sol resort of Estepona.
The closed-court hearings followed the arrests of 22 people in dawn raids on the Costa del Sol after a two-year police investigation into a multi-million euro drug-trafficking and money-laundering organisation.
Christy Kinahan (53) and sons Daniel and Christopher were sent to jail by the judge and face up to four years in prison awaiting trial while the probe continues.
But Cunningham was free on bail on Saturday night after the behind-closed-doors hearing. He took advantage of a media scrum as the Kinahans were escorted from the court building in handcuffs to slip out a side exit with his lawyer after being granted bail."

Detention will disrupt flow of drugs into State, gardaí believe - The Irish Times - Mon, May 31, 2010

Detention will disrupt flow of drugs into State, gardaí believe - The Irish Times - Mon, May 31, 2010: "Irish criminals on the Costa del Sol who knew anything about Kinahan’s operation will all now be under suspicion as possible informers
SUCH WAS the influence of Christy Kinahan on the illicit drugs trade in Ireland that senior gardaí believe his detention in Spain will disrupt the flow of drugs into the Republic like no other arrest has over the past decade.
The impact is likely to be first seen in the reduced availability of drugs on Irish streets. The price of drugs will also increase due to the reduced supply.
But the Kinahan arrest and the apparent fall of his gang will not be limited to the Irish street corners were his drugs were sold."

Sir Geoff Hurst Wins Court Action Over Costa del Sol Apartments

Costa del Sol Life - The No.1 Costa del Sol Blog: Sir Geoff Hurst Wins Court Action Over Costa del Sol Apartments: "Sir Geoff, 68, of Cheltenham in Gloucestershire, and five other people sued businessman Mark Cordner of Park Lane, Knebworth, Hertfordshire.

They alleged, due to Mr Cordner's deceit, they had paid full price for five apartments in Marbella to which their rights were now worthless.

The judge ruled the investors were entitled to damages.

Off-plan apartments

The amount of damages the group are entitiled to will be assessed at a later date.

The court heard that in 2003 and 2004 the group paid the full purchase price for the off-plan apartments upfront and without security.

Since then, they claimed, their rights over them had been either destroyed or rendered worthless.

The apartments were in a development called Aloha Royal, near Puerto Banus, Marbella.

Mr Cordner admitted he made some of the representations alleged by the six: named as Sir Geoff; David Barkley; Terence Hopley; Paul Kenyon; Martin Roberts and Verna Roberts - but denied they were made deceitfully or negligently.

But Mr Justice Keith, sitting in London, ruled that Mr Cordner was liable and that the six investors were entitled to damages for his deceit.

The judge said that the investors got nothing because the developer to whom they paid the purchase price was not in a position to convey good title to the apartments.

Sir Geoff was not in court to hear the judgement but yet more problem for property in Costa del Sol"

expat teenager Amy Fitzpatrick, she remains just that: missing

Euro Weekly News | Costa del Sol | News | Page-1 | The Largest English Language Newspapers in Spain: "DESPITE the 30 day deadline ending last Wednesday for the public to claim the reward of one million euros for information leading to finding missing expat teenager Amy Fitzpatrick, she remains just that: missing. The reward money was provided by four family friends in Ireland, and was deposited in an account where it remained until Wednesday May 19, enough time, her mother Audrey believed, for someone to come forward with reliable information."

Row over medal awarded to police boss | Costa del Sol | News | The Largest English Language Newspapers in Spain

Euro Weekly News | Row over medal awarded to police boss | Costa del Sol | News | The Largest English Language Newspapers in Spain: "current chief of the Local Police in Estepona, Pedro Naranjo, has received the medal for police merit, but not everyone is happy about it. Three officers have complained to the Andalucian High Court of Justice, because they believe that the rules of the Local Police force have been modified to suit Naranjo.
The medal was awarded for the police and security operation organized when the King and Queen of Spain visited the town in October 2007, but at that time, Naranjo wasn’t chief of police.
Union CSI-CSIF says the mayor, “David Valadez, should be ashamed of himself for spending public money on awards to keep one civil servant, who he has randomly chose, happy when there are major deficiencies in the town’s forces.”"

Ring of armed officers surrounds Spanish court for gang hearings - The Irish Times - Sat, May 29, 2010

Ring of armed officers surrounds Spanish court for gang hearings - The Irish Times - Sat, May 29, 2010: "John Cunningham appeared before a Spanish judge last night sporting a bruised eye and a cut on his cheek.
Cunningham (58), from Ballyfermot, was led into court in handcuffs showing signs of a recent struggle.
The suspect looked tired and dishevelled with bags under his eyes. He stayed silent when asked how he was bearing up as he was led into court.
In 1986 Cunningham was jailed for 17 years for kidnapping Jennifer Guinness, heiress to the Guinness family fortune, from her home in Howth, Co Dublin.
Last night two Irishmen who had been brought before the court were released minutes after Cunningham entered.
In proceedings that were closed to the public and members of the media a Spanish judge was holding preliminary hearings and interviewing some of those arrested in police raids in recent days.
Heavily armed officers imposed a ring of security around the building in Estepona as judge Maria Carmen Gutierrez Henares questioned some of the 22 suspects arrested in the police raids.
It was not made known last night when exactly Kinahan himself would be questioned by the judge in the proceedings which could go on over the weekend."

Neighbours suspicious of security at luxury villa - Europe, World News - Independent.ie

Neighbours suspicious of security at luxury villa - Europe, World News - Independent.ie: "stunning villa where suspected gangster Daniel Kinahan was arrested during a dramatic dawn raid.
Armed police swooped on the €3m mansion just after 7am on Tuesday after sealing off nearby roads.
More than a dozen investigators spent the morning searching the property before seizing computer equipment and paperwork.
Yesterday it emerged that Daniel, son of alleged crime boss Christy Kinahan, bought the property last autumn and spent hundreds of thousands of euro renovating it and installing banks of security cameras around the perimeter."

Low-profile kingpin amassed €100m fortune - The Irish Times - Wed, May 26, 2010

Low-profile kingpin amassed €100m fortune - The Irish Times - Wed, May 26, 2010: "Christy Kinahan (53), has had Irish addresses at York Street and St Teresa’s Gardens in Dublin’s inner city, as well as at Cabra, Phibsboro and Fairview, all on the north side of the city. He is not a household name, but is well known in media and policing circles and has been regarded for some time as perhaps the biggest wholesaler of illicit drugs for Irish crime gangs.
He has amassed a personal fortune of well over €100 million in the last decade through drug-dealing and investing and laundering the proceeds of his crimes.
Regarded as one of the cleverest Irish criminals involved in the international drugs trade, he speaks several foreign languages, including Dutch and Spanish. During a prison term in the 1990s he studied for a degree course in French and refused temporary release so he could complete it.
In March 1987 he was jailed for six years after pleading guilty to possessing heroin valued at £117,000. He told the court he was a heroin addict and was trying to turn his life around by studying in prison. In March 1998 he was jailed for four years after he was found in possession of £16,000 in stolen travellers’ cheques.
Kinahan, a separated father of three, also has convictions for forgery and for possession of cannabis. He served at least one of his sentences in the State’s maximum security prison in Portlaoise. He was released from his last prison sentence in 2001 and is believed to have left for Spain within months.
He has a villa near Marbella worth €6 million, and also regularly uses a nearby apartment worth €800,000.
He is a high-stakes gambler and is also suspected of involvement in fixing horse races he bets on."

Kinahan family linked to the murder of Paddy Doyle in Estepona

Spanish police link gang to Costa del Sol murder - National News, Frontpage - Independent.ie: "SPANISH police yesterday linked members of the criminal gang allegedly led by the Kinahan family to the murder of Paddy Doyle in Estepona in February 2008.
A police spokesman revealed pan-European crimefighting organisation Europol had brought together police from five countries in 2008 to coordinate a Spanish-led operation to smash the gang.
A statement released late last night by Spanish police said: 'Investigators managed to link a murder committed in Estepona in February 2008 to certain members of the organisation, as well as relating them to other crimes committed on the Costa del Sol, Holland and Ireland."

Christopher ‘Christy’ Kinahan, who was arrested at his luxury villa in Estepona.

Christopher "Christy" Kinahan , 53, is said to be the network’s boss.
He was arrested on the coast at Estepona at the £10m villa he has lived in for the past few years.
Kinahan is thought to have been behind a bet-to-lose horse-racing scam in the UK in 2004, in which top jockey Kieren Fallon and others were eventually acquitted when an Old Bailey trial collapsed people were arrested in total in the operation which also saw arrests in Dublin and London.More than 20 members of an international criminal organisation have been arrested today, Tuesday, on the Costa del Sol, and there were also dawn raids in London and Dublin. In total at least 32 have been arrested in total in an operation which continues open, so more arrests have not been ruled out.
Reports indicate that British gang were supplying firearms and drugs on the Costa del Sol where they had their base.
750 officers from the U.K., Ireland and Spain, took part in the swoops, the largest ever carried out by Britain’s SOCA, Serious Organised Crime Agency.The boss of the group has been named as 53 year old Christopher ‘Christy’ Kinahan, who was arrested at his luxury villa in Estepona. Reports indicate that he has lived there for some years and is the man behind a bet to lose horse racing scam in the UK in 2004. Jockey Kieren Fallon and others were acquitted at the Old Bailey when the trial there collapsed.Kinahan’s right hand man, John Cunningham, and Kinaham’s sons Christy Jr. and Daniel were also arrested. Cunningham was found guilty in 1986 of kidnapping Jennifer Guinness in Ireland.The gang is accused of being a major drugs supplier into the UK and the rest of Europe, and of supplying firearms to inner city gangs in the UK.There are also reports that the gang offered money laundering facilities to other criminal groups, with building projects involved in this.Several Spanish lawyers have also been arrested today in connection with the money laundering allegations. There are also reports of more searches in Marbella, Estepona and Fuengirola.
It’s thought that Spanish police had been watching the group for the past year, and that a code used by the criminals had been cracked. ‘Leaves’ were banknotes, ‘Computers’ were guns, ‘Waiters’ for weapons, and ‘Cars’ for drugs.
Spanish Interior Minister, Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba, speaking in Warsaw, said that an operation was underway against the Irish mafia on the Costa del Sol, and that Irish, British and Spanish police were taking part along with Europol. The Government’s Sub Delegate for Málaga, Hilario López Luna, also confirmed the police swoops by the Spanish UDYCO specialist units.

Two British Children have been found dead at a hotel in Lloret de Mar, Girona, and their mother has been arrested

Baby Boy, understood to be aged just under one year old, and a five year-old girl were found by staff at the Miramar Hotel in Lloret de Mar on the Costa Brava.
Police said that the mother, who raised the alarm moments beforehand, had confessed.
Initial reports said that the two children may have been smothered but sources close to the investigation reported that the bodies bore no sign of external injuries. There was no evidence of a struggle.
The woman, who has not been named but is said to be in her 30s, booked into the four-star beachfront hotel on Monday. British Children have been found dead at a hotel in Lloret de Mar, Girona, and their mother has been arrested by the Catalan Police, Los Mossos d’Esquadra, after confessing to killing them.It was the mother, reported to be in her 30’s who called the police and the emergency services, by going down to the hotel reception, but on their arrival they found the children, a boy aged one and a girl aged five, already dead in a hotel room. It’s reported that the children had been suffocated, and that the mother confessed to the crime when the police arrived at the hotel. EFE news agency reports that the children’s bodies showed no signs of violence, and
Hotel Miramar. Lloret de Mar.autopsies are being carried out to establish cause of death.It’s understood that the woman and the two children were on holiday in the four star Hotel Miramar on the Paseo Marítimo in the town. They had arrived their by car on Monday night. Local police received the alert at 3.53pm on Tuesday afternoon.
The duty judge from Blanes has taken charge of the case and placed reporting restrictions on the case. It’s understood that the judge from Court Three has this evening reconstructed what happened in the hotel room with the mother and the police.

James Taylor, known as 'Pancake', are 'certainly talking' to the Sinaloa, along with Los Zetas

How Liverpool docks became a hub of Europe's deadly cocaine trade | World news | The Observer: "James Taylor, known as 'Pancake', are 'certainly talking' to the Sinaloa, along with Los Zetas, classified by the US Drug Enforcement Administration as Mexico's most dangerous trafficking organisation. Los Zetas control access to the Venezuelan ports from where cocaine almost certainly has already been dispatched direct to Liverpool. With menacing understatement, Liverpool police told the Observer that the issue of Mexican cartels targeting the largest enclosed dock system in the world is a 'highly evolving' situation.
For the Bird of Prey, Pancake and their associates, the emerging Mexican connection follows a calamitous Spanish failure. In the aftermath of Colin Smith's murder, the new leaders of the Liverpool mafia flew to the Costa del Sol with the intention of laying down the law and inheriting one of the most lucrative cocaine-smuggling operations in the world. In Marbella, the successors to the Cocaine King were not welcomed.
Attempts to wrest control of Smith's connections in Spain ran up against a wall of silence and disdain. The newcomers were ostracised by the country's well-established nexus of cocaine brokers and middlemen – Colombian, Spanish and Scouse.
Smith's middlemen, it was clear, were not interested. And there was open conflict with a shadowy group of former IRA paramilitaries turned contract-killers called the 'Cleaners', believed to be responsible for more than 20 drug-related assassinations around Merseyside. In a summer-long feud in 2008, several members of the Cleaners were murdered."

prostitution network has been broken up in Chiclana de la Frontera, Cádiz

prostitution network has been broken up in Chiclana de la Frontera, Cádiz, and resulted in the arrest of four Brazilian women and three Spanish men from Cádiz and Chiclana de la Frontera.

The Guardia Civil were advised about a woman in her home in Calle Palomar in Chiclana who was in a nervous state and breaking up the furniture and windows last April 28, and she proved to be the start of this investigation.

She was Brazilian and had arrived in Spain illegally from Italy, and told the Guardia that she was being forced into prostitution after being her cleaning a car dealership.

She claimed she was being held against her will in the flat in Calle Palomar, and the money she collected went directly to the boss of the group, another Brazilian woman, who claimed it was to pay for her travel and housing.

The Guardia Civil think the seven arrested are the whole gang, and they are expected to appear in court shortly.

Arrested Martin Smith, from Tyneside

Martin Smith, from Tyneside, failed to answer bail two years ago after his arrest on suspicion of raping a child under the age of 16.
He is also suspected of gross indecency with a girl under the age of 16, indecent assault of a girl under 16 and attempted rape of a girl under 16.
The 45-year-old, of North Shields, was arrested in Barcelona.
The alleged attacks took place between 1995 and 2005.
Mr Smith was placed on the Operation Captura most wanted list last September after failing to answer bail in January 2008.

Fake pilots nabbed smuggling cocaine

Fake pilots nabbed smuggling cocaine: "Spanish narcotics agents nabbed two men dressed in pilot uniforms, complete with caps and insignias, trying to smuggle 55kg of cocaine through Madrid airport, police said on Monday.
The duo arriving on a flight from Santa Cruz in Bolivia caught the eye of Spanish narcotics agents because they were travelling with passengers and not with airline personnel, police said in a statement.
A check of their documents revealed that the two, whose nationality was not disclosed, did not fly for any airline and then 50 packets of cocaine, weighing some 55kg, were discovered in their carry-on baggage."

Italy police seize weapons in mafia raids | WORLD News

Italy police seize weapons in mafia raids | WORLD News: "Italian police arrested dozens of members of various mafia groups in a vast operation that netted large caches of weapons smuggled from Bosnia.
Anti-Mafia Police said the raids where carried out in several areas of southern Italy against members of the Sicilian Cosa Nostra and the Naples-area Camorra seeking to wrest control of the fruit and vegetable trade in southern Italy.
Police issued more than 70 arrest warrants and confiscated millions of euros worth of real estate, weapons and vehicles."

Sean Connery and his wife called to declare before the judge

Lawyers offices were raided by police in Marbella and Madrid on Thursday

National Police on Thursday simultaneously registered the offices of the law firm Díaz-Bastien & Truan, both in Marbella and in the Torre Picasso in Madrid.
Europa Press reports that the raids were carried out on the orders of Instruction Court 1 in Marbella, but there are no reports of any arrests. The agency says the raids are thought to be linked to Juan Antonio Roca, the ex Municipal Real Estate Assessor in Marbella, and the reclassification of land where Scottish actor Sean Connery built his famous villa, ‘Malibu’. Connery spent his summers there with his wife until he left Marbella in 1999, critical of the changes and massive building being seen in the town.The Connery villa is no longer on the land. Now it is occupied by a four story building, known by the same ‘Malibu’ name.
El Mundo reports that the lawyers who have been searched negotiated with Jesús Gil and Juan Antonio Roca, for the reclassification of the lands where the villa originally stood, allowing the four story building to be constructed.The El Mundo archives show that the paper reported in September 15 1999 that the then Partido Andalucista spokesman, Carlos Fernández, denounced ‘a speculative manoeuvre’ to build the 70 apartments on the site, although he did not finally place his complaint in court. Fernández is himself now a fugitive from justice, implicated in the Malaya case. At the time he said that Connery received 800 million pesetas for the sale of his property.

On Friday it was revealed that 5 lawyers from the office have been called to declare before the judge, as is Sean Connery and his wife.
MALIBU development was built on the plot of Sean Connery´s old villa that went by the same name, occupying an absolute beachfront location between Puerto Banus and San Pedro beach. The qualities for this development are very high indeed and the kitchen has top specification using the very best materials available.I remember visting inside the villa grounds to get information on this development and picking up a "brochure" that was bound in silk with a raised silver logo. When the showflat was complete, I remember being wowed by the some of the appliances that had been installed and also by the sheer quality of finish. I was with a very wealthy property developer at the time, who owned apartments and houses in some of the most exclusive developments in the world and even he commented how high the standard was.
Every ammenity is at your disposal including, sea water pool, indoor heated pool, gymnasium and walking distance to lots of great restaurants and beach bars. You can get a good penthouse within Malibu for around the 3,000,000 Euro mark. Definitely worth a look if you are looking for contemporary apartments with a high level of attention to detail on the finish.

26 year prison sentence for the 43 year old Briton, Paul Allan B., originally from Bromley in Kent, who tried to shoot at two Guardia Civil agents

Prosecutors’ Office is asking for a 26 year prison sentence for the 43 year old Briton, Paul Allan B., originally from Bromley in Kent, who tried to shoot at two Guardia Civil agents who interrupted him urinating in the Avenida Gerald Brenan in Alhaurín de la Torre on March 9 last year. In the event his gun failed to fire, despite he reportedly making four attempts aiming at both agents.The unnumbered and unregistered gun was a Russian 9mm Makarov and was loaded with eight cartridges.
One of the agents has suffered mental scars after the incident, leading to him initially being off work for two months, and still to be undergoing treatment for depression.The Prosecutor considers the man should have two charges of
attempted homicide, each one resulting in a ten year prison sentence. Also there is a crime of resisting authority, for which a further three years is added, and another three for the illegal possession of a firearm. Compensation of 6,100 € is also being sought via civil responsibility.Two other men, one British and one Irish who were accused at the time of the incident do not appear to be facing charges.

Fernando del Valle, has called for the instruction of the case against him to be declared null and void.

Fernando del Valle, has called for the instruction of the case against him to be declared null and void. The request has been presented by the lawyer representing him, Horacio Oliva.
The case was investigated back in 2005 by the then Instruction Judge 5 in Marbella, Miguel Ángel Torres. El País reports that some close to the case describe the summary as ‘chaotic’.The case got underway again on Monday after a month’s suspension to give all sides time to read the case summary, which had been sent incomplete to some of the 19 accused parties.Del Valle is accused of laundering 12 million € of money from several criminal activities via his offices, and faces a 15 year prison sentence in the case.

Guardia Civil has intercepted three young men and recovered two tons of hashish in Estepona.

Guardia Civil has intercepted three young men and recovered two tons of hashish in Estepona.The drugs were being transported on a seven metre long boat, which has now been impounded along with two vehicles.News of the swoop has just been released although it took place last Thursday, April 29, when the SIVE high tech detection system detected the boat when some miles offshore.The boat headed to the Dos Hermanas beach in the town where the Guardia Civil were waiting, and observed how the drugs were being unloaded.Those arrested are two Spaniards, 32 year old D.B.B. and 33 year old F.J.B.S. and a 29 Ukrainian, D.K.They will appear before the judge shortly.

new charges for the Marbella ex Municipal Real Estate Assessor, Juan Antonio Roca, and ex Mayor, Julián Muñoz.

Tribunal de Cuentas has come up with new charges for the Marbella ex Municipal Real Estate Assessor, Juan Antonio Roca, and ex Mayor, Julián Muñoz.The Auditor’s Court has sentenced them, along with other ex GIL party councillors, Esteban Guzmán, Javier Lendínez and Marisa Alcalá, ex accountant Antonio Calleja, and ex municipal lawyer, Modesto Perodía, to pay 17.8 million € in the so called Monteverde case. This relates to the alleged diversion of 42 million to companies belonging to the architect, Carlos Monteverde, for projects which in fact never happened. The sentence considers it proven that of the 73 projects paid for, Monteverde only carried out 42, with the rest corresponding to work already carried out and signed for by other architects. Carlos Monteverde collected payments of some 42 million.

Those found guilty do have the right to appeal, but all of them are also charged in the Minutas case with the Sevilla lawyer and President of the Sevilla Football Club, José María del Nido.

BMW was clocked on the A-5 motorway in Mérida, Badajoz doing 248 kms/hour.

23 year old Spanish driver has made a new record. He was clocked by the police doing the fastest ever speed on a Spanish road. His BMW was clocked on the A-5 motorway in Mérida, Badajoz doing 248 kms/hour. Fortunately there was no accident on the 120 km/hour speed limited road. Also with him in the car was his girlfriend and two children.Police had to radio ahead to catch him, finally a patrol car intercepting him on the A-66 direction Sevilla.He now faces two charges, dangerous driving and speeding, but was released by police after testing negative for alcohol and drugs.

body of a man, in an advanced state of decomposition, wrapped in plastic, with an anchor around the neck

body of a man, in an advanced state of decomposition, wrapped in plastic, with an anchor around the neck, and with the feet and hands missing, has been recovered by a trawler off the Málaga coast, close to the Torrequebrada casino, after it came caught in the nets.The fishermen took the body into Benalmádena Marina where the judge and other authorities arrived.The Civil Guard says it is waiting for the results of the autopsy before continuing with its investigation. As yet there has been no news about the possible identity.