Illegal television distribution networks

Five people have been detained for operating two illegal television distribution networks in Colmenar and Casabermeja. Both are alleged to have supplied local bars with programmes by cable, including coverage of football matches pirated from Digital Plus and Al Jazeera Sport. Two satellite decoders were confiscated during the National Police operation last week.

Divers searching a reservoir for Madeleine McCann

Divers searching a reservoir for Madeleine McCann yesterday found a plastic bag containing small bones.Police experts were last night examining the gruesome find at the lake only 20 minutes from the Portuguese resort of Praia da Luz, where Madeleine - three at the time - disappeared last May. Her parents Gerry and Kate McCann were told immediately by a private detective monitoring the search. Portuguese lawyer Marcos Aragao Correia, who sponsored the dive, says he was acting on an underworld tip-off that Madeleine was murdered and her body thrown in a lake within 48-hours of being snatched. Last night the McCanns' spokesman Clarence Mitchell played down the find. He said: "We have not been informed of anything by the police to indicate that this find is significant. There is nothing to indicate at this stage that they are human bones and they could easily be from an animal.
"There is nothing at the moment to indicate that this find has anything to do with Madeleine. We continue to believe she is alive."

Spanish T.V. reporting the Mari Luz Cortés case say she was suffocated to death, and then thrown into the water afterwards.

Reports from Spanish T.V.Telecinco has revealed what it calls the definitive results of the autopsy carried out on the body of the five year old
There has been new information in the Mari Luz Cortés case, the five year old girl from Huelva whose body was found in Ria de Huelva a week ago.Telecinco is reporting that the definitive results of the autopsy carried out on the child, which they say has proved that she was suffocated to death, and then thrown into the water afterwards. The autopsy concludes that the child died in the following 24 hours of her disappearance, and that the injuries to her head and ribs were also carried out before she died.The child’s father, Juan José Cortés, has called for time to ‘cry in silence’ andsays that he will fight to find who is responsible and to see them pay for what they have done.Police say they think a local person may have seen Mari Luz with her killer, but is too frightened to come forward.

British girl arrested for drug trafficking in Morocco

A young English lady was arrested on Wednesday while trying to sail from the Tangiers Port (northern Morocco) for Algésiras (southern Spain) with 10 kg of chira (cannabis resin).The drug was found in a cache set up in the front of a Spanish-registered four-wheel drive vehicle, a Moroccan security source said without disclosing the identity of the British national.Some 70% of the processed kif (cannabis) in Europe comes from Morocco.

Seized a total of 129kg of hashish destined for Algeciras, Spain

Customs authorities at Tangier port foiled three drug trafficking attempts on Sunday (March 9th) and Monday, MAP reported. Officials seized a total of 129kg of hashish destined for Algeciras, Spain. The largest single shipment of 66kg was found in the vehicle of a Moroccan citizen living in Belgium. Authorities seized some 35 tonnes of hashish in Tangier in 2007, an increase of 26% over 2006. In related news, Algerian press reported that on Monday police discovered more than 15 hectares cultivated with cannabis and opium in Ajdir, Adrar province. Security forces reportedly arrested eight suspects, in part for allegations that some of the farmers involved had benefited from state funds through the land-reclamation programme.

Andre Williams died from a heart attack caused by drugs following a beach party in Algeciras

A post-mortem examination found Andre Williams, from Splott, Cardiff, died from a heart attack caused by drugs following a beach party in Algeciras, near Malaga, in the early hours of August 8 last year.packages thought to contain drugs were found inside a 27-year-old-man who died in Spain, an inquest heard yesterday.A total of 13 cylinders were discovered inside Mr Williams’s body, Cardiff Coroner’s Court was told.Mr Williams’s mother told the court that her son had been generally healthy but had been diagnosed with an enlarged heart and a hole-in-the-heart at the age of 18 months. The court also heard that Mr Williams smoked cannabis every day and took Class A drugs on a regular basis.A toxicology report showed that MDMA, amphetamine, metamphetamine and cannabis were found in his bloodstream.
Mary Hassell, coroner for Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan, said, “I want to know if he just took too many drugs or if in reality he was what is known as a drugs mule.”Ms Hassell adjourned her verdict in order to obtain more information from the Spanish authorities.

Málaga and Fuengirola National Police Chief Inspectors and Inspectors arrested by internal affairs

Spanish police have detained four police officers, including three chiefs responsible for fighting organized crime, on charges of several criminal offences, police said Wednesday. The four worked on the southern Costa del Sol coast, which is known for the presence of numerous international criminal rings. The three chiefs were based in Malaga, Marbella and Fuengirola. The officers were suspected of keeping objects they had confiscated from criminals, making illegal house searches and revealing confidential information to outsiders. One of them was already awaiting trial on charges of helping an Italian drug trafficker flee. An entrepreneur and an interpreter were also held. The affair was "painful and delicate," because it affected the reputation of the national police force, government delegate Hilario Lopez Luna said.
Senior official Antonio Camacho stressed that police themselves had discovered the alleged irregularities in their midst. The National Police internal affairs unit has arrested four National Policemen and two other people in Málaga and Fuengirola. The team moved into several offices of the main provincial police station in Málaga yesterday evening, according to El Mundo. The paper says that several police chiefs have complained about ‘the bad way’ in which the arrests were carried out.All those police arrested are Inspectors or Chief Inspectors belong to the specialist drug and organised crime unit UDYCO, and are accused of corruption and the crime of revealing confidential information obtained during police activity.The previous head of the UDYCO unit on the Costa del Sol, Valentín Bahut, was replaced a year ago after being charged with not following uip on certain crimes linked to a police informer, an Italian based in Benalmádena, Marco Torello Rollero. He finally faced 18 months in prison in that case, with an 11 year ban on holding public office.The Internal Affairs Unit in Málaga has arrested four high ranking police officers assigned to the specialist UDYCO (drugs and organised crime) section of the National Police on the Costa del Sol.The arrests have come after a two year investigation into alleged ‘irregularities’ during the conducting of house searches. One of those arrested is a Chief Inspector, the other three are Inspectors and all have long and distinguished careers in the UDYCO-Costa del Sol.Also arrested in connection with the case are two private individuals, one a civilian interpreter for the police, the other a businessman in Marbella.The detainees allegedly appropriated assets during the carrying out of house searches and also leaked confidential information. In addition, the investigators are trying to establish whether the arrested men were connected to a network trafficking in women for the purpose of prostitution.

Attempted Child Snatch on Costa Blanca

Adele Spencer, 28, fought off two intruders who tried to snatch her toddler daughter in Spain.Telling how she fought off the Moroccan-looking women when they broke into her home and tried to take 18-month old Annabelle from her high-chair.The incident came just three days after another British family in the same town were targeted. Yesterday it was claimed the family of missing Madeleine McCann were keen to find out more about the cases.
Miss Spencer said: "If I had been 10 seconds later she would have been gone. I'm just thankful I managed to get to Annabelle in time to save her.
"I never thought we would come close to suffering the same fate as Madeleine's parents. You read about horrific stories like theirs but you don't expect it to happen to you."The drama happened just after 3pm on Tuesday. The hairdresser was alone with her daughter in her rented home in Moraira, Costa Blanca.She had left Annabelle asleep in her high chair and was hanging up clothes in an adjoining bedroom while her fiancé Carl was at work.She said: "I thought it was Annabelle wakingup but when I went in to see her two Moroccan-looking women were standing over her, one on either side."They had taken her blanket from her and were about to try to lift Annabelle out of her chair. My legs buckled under me at first and I felt like I was going to be sick with the shock. But suddenly I came round and I just started screaming over and over, 'Get out of my house, get out of my house'.
"They started walking backwards slowly towards the door and the next minute, I threw myself at the older woman. I lunged at her face and throat as I tried to push her out of the house."
Spanish police are said to be linking the attempted kidnap to a separate bid to snatch a three-year-old British boy in the same town.
Her fiancé, from Leeds, added: "What has happened to Madeleine is awful and it so nearly happened to us. No other parent should have to go through that suffering."

Drugs trafficking La Línea couple

National Police in La Línea have arrested a married couple on drugs trafficking charges. They have also been accused of abandoning their two young children who have been taken into care. In the raid police confiscated drugs including hashish and cocaine, a Smith & Wesson pistol plus a variety of other guns with ammunition as well as 9,240 euros in cash.

Hamburger bars and nightclubs gang that allegedly sold cocaine in Torremolinos and Málaga

Seven people have been arrested in the break-up of a gang that allegedly sold cocaine in hamburger bars and nightclubs in Torremolinos and Málaga. The initial arrests were made when Guardia Civil officers caught four of the gang members red-handed, doing a deal at a Churriana burger restaurant, according to officials. The three additional arrests followed.

Coín man was arrested last week for allegedly fondling and kissing a 10-year-old deaf girl

A Coín man was arrested last week for allegedly fondling and kissing a 10-year-old deaf girl. The arrest occurred after officers arrived at the scene of a fight, where several local residents had attacked the accused, who is also deaf, for his alleged assault on the young girl. He has been released pending trial, with a restraining order prohibiting him from being near the victim.

Spanish national arrested on 33 occasions

National Police in Benidorm have arrested a man in connection with a series of robberies from cars.A police spokesman said the man, a Spanish national, was picked up after more than 20 vehicles had side windows broken and contents stolen.
He added that the detainee had been arrested on 33 other occasions for similar offences.National police have also arrested a man following a break in at a British owned bar. He has been accused of forcing entry in the premises early on the morning of February 26.

Death of a young woman whose body was found near an abandoned van

Police are investigating the death of a young woman whose body was found near an abandoned van with Austrian licence plates close to the Segura river estuary in Guardamar del Segura (Alicante) earlier today. The woman's identity has not been confirmed though she seems to have been in her late twenties. A first inspection of the reveals no obvious signs of violence though an autopsy will be performed to confirm cause of death

1.5 metric tons cocaine destined for Spain

Peruvian police made their biggest cocaine seizure in almost three years, impounding 1.5 metric tons destined for Spain. The shipment was intercepted off the country's northern coast, Interior Minister Luis Alva Castro told reporters today in Lima. Police arrested four Ecuadoreans and seized weapons, vehicles and communications equipment, he said. Police have confiscated 5.6 tons of cocaine so far this year, almost equivalent to the Andean country's average annual seizures, Police Chief Octavio Salazar said. The most recent operation netted the biggest haul since police uncovered a 2.2- ton shipment in 2005. Peru is the world's second-largest producer of coca leaf, the basis of cocaine.

Mari Luz Cortés DNA testing has now confirmed the identification 100%.

It’s understood that the autopsy has now been completed, and the judge will decide whether to release the results to the press as the investigation remains governed by secrecy. Luis Molina, spokesman for the Cortés family, told journalists that the family has no information on the results, and added that there has been no confirmation of reports in the media that the five year old died within 24 hours of her disappearance. He called on the press to refrain from giving any information which could later turn out to be false.
DNA testing has confirmed that the badly decomposed body found floating in the Ría de Huelva -the common estuary of the Tinto and Odiel Rivers - on Friday afternoon, is that of Mari Luz Cortés, the five year old girl who disappeared in the city on 13th January. She went missing after leaving her home in the El Torrejón district of Huelva for a short trip to the local sweets kiosk, and her body was found near the Cepsa refinery installations by a Cepsa employee, still dressed in the same clothes she was wearing when she was last seen. Mari Luz’s father, Juan José Cortés, identified his daughter’s body on Friday, but the DNA testing has now confirmed the identification 100%.

Arrested 24 people in a swoop against copyright infringement

National Police have arrested 24 people in a swoop against copyright infringement across Spain, denominated ‘Operation Búho’. Those detained are allegedly linked to a network which installed pirate software on hardware sold from shops across the country in a fraud estimated to be worth more than 200,000 €.Investigations are based in 14 companies, and 11 searches have been carried out, two in Madrid, four in Barcelona, three in Andalucía and two in Murcia. Police say as many as 750 products, sold on CD and DVD are affected by the fraud. They are investigating whether so-called ‘malware’ was also installed, programs which could reveal the data on the machine to third parties.

Reports that a body found in the river close to Huelva is that of Mari Luz

The Guardia Civil have confirmed that Five year old Mari Luz, missing from Huelva since she left her home in the El Torrejón area of the city on 13th January for a short trip to the local sweets kiosk, has been found dead. El Mundo said her body was found on Friday evening in Huelva province in the Torrearenilla marshland, in a river close to the Cepsa refinery installations, by an employee of the petroleum company. It’s understood that Mari Luz’s body was found with the clothes she was wearing when she disappeared , and that her body was badly decomposed.
There was news just last week that the family of the five year old had received a ransom demand for two million euros, via an anonymous caller who demanded the money to release the child.While it was thought to be a hoax, the family said they were prepared to negotiate in the case of serious calls. Mari Luz’s uncle, Diego Cortés, said at the time that the family would personally go to rescue his niece if necessary, but said they would only be able to raise around 300,000 €.
El Mundo said Mari Luz’s parents, Juan José Cortés and Irene Suárez, had arrived at the scene to identify their daughter’s body, and that Juan José López Garzón, the central government delegate for Andalucía, was also en route to the site where Mari Luz’s body was found.

773kg of hashish hidden in a car bound for Spain

The customs officers of the port of Tangier, north, seized on Thursday some 773kg of hashish hidden in a car bound for Algesiras, southern Spain, MAP learnt here.
The driver and the passenger, aged 21 and 22, were arrested and the investigation so far showed that the drug, worth Euro 3Mn, was intended for the French market.Last week customs officers intercepted a truck bound for France with two metric tons of hashish onboard. Hashish catches in 2007 amounted to some 35 tons, while tens of drug smugglers from different nationalities were arrested during the year

Richard Davison is currently on bail in Spain which prevents him from leaving the country

Richard Davison and Ellen George, of Colville Road, Lowestoft, ran Crompton Marine at Lowestoft where they built powerful inflatable boats.The couple who ran a Suffolk boatbuilding business and had more than £1 million stashed at their home had been supplying boats to international drugs smugglers, a court has heard.
.It is alleged the radar-evading boats - which could carry massive loads of cannabis and still outrun the authorities - would be sold and transported to southern Europe where they would be used by drug smugglers.The details emerged at Ipswich Crown Court yesterdayin the trial of 43-year-old Ian Rush, of Brand End Road, Butterwick, Lincolnshire.Rush was friends with Davison and George and worked at Crompton Marine initially as a transport driver, the court was told.He has denied two charges of conspiracy to assist another person to retain the benefits of drug trafficking and conspiracy to acquire criminal property.Davison and George were arrested on March 25, 2004 as part of a joint Anglo-Spanish criminal investigation into suspected money laundering offences.A search at the couple's Lowestoft home found more than £1.25 million in cash held in a safe and a holdall as well as false documents. A search of Davison's address in Spain revealed the existence of 500,000 in euros and £49,000 in cash.It is alleged that between 1998 and the couple's arrest on March 25, 2004 he transported boats to southern Europe, often Spain, knowing that the purchaser of the boats wanted them to run drugs and other contraband from the north coast of Africa to the southern coast of Spain.It is also alleged that following Davison's and George's arrest, Rush set up a new company called Nautexco Marine to continue selling boats to the drug smugglers.Simon Draycott QC told the jury: “Rush, Davison and George knew full well that the purchasers of these boats wanted them for one reason only and that was to run drugs and other contraband from the north coast of Africa to the southern coast of Spain. “These types of boats were in great demand by drug smugglers. They could outrun any Spanish police boat, they were difficult to detect on radar and they could carry substantial amounts of drugs.”The jury was also read an email which was sent by George in 2002 which read: “We specialise in very high speed, uncatchable craft that have an extremely low radar signature, that work between North Africa and Spain.”In 2006, George admitted money laundering and possession of around £1m in criminal proceeds.
Davison is currently on bail in Spain which prevents him from leaving the country, with investigations against him continuing, the court heard.The trial of Rush continues today

Mystery of the deserted boat with 2.4 tons of cannabis

A Civil Guard patrol at the mouth of the Guadalquivir in Sanlúcar de Barrameda on Tuesday morning came up with an unexpected discovery, a boat left close to shore, loaded with more than two tons of cannabis resin. La Voz Digital said there were 78 packages on board, making up a total of 2.4 tons.
The 12-metre inflatable speedboat was fitted with three powerful engines, and would have allowed the smugglers to make the trip from Morocco in a very short time, the paper said. There was no sign of any of the crew.

Gang of drug dealers who were arrested in Torrevieja

Gang of drug dealers who were arrested in Torrevieja last month passed themselves off as police officers to steal from other gangs who were trying to smuggle the drugs into Spain. The Civil Guard also say they were part of a much larger organisation which has been under investigation since last June, when almost a ton of cannabis was found in a Torrevieja garage inside a stolen car.
Dubbed Operation Julo, the investigation has led to a total of 29 arrests since then and close to seven tons of cannabis confiscated by the authorities, together with six stolen top-range vehicles, thousands in cash, and weapons and other items worth more than half a million euros.Seventeen of the suspects are Spaniards, EFE said.
They operated in a number of Spanish provinces, and one of their main leaders was arrested with 13 other suspects in Murcia this January in La Manga del Mar Menor.

Nordine H.S smuggled 150 pellets to Cádiz inside his stomach

A man from Ceuta has beaten the national record in Spain for the amount of cannabis pellets carried in his stomach. He was arrested coming out of a Cádiz hotel this weekend, having smuggled 150 pellets inside his stomach. La Voz Digital gave the previous record as 128.smuggled 150 pellets to Cádiz inside his stomach The paper said Nordine H.S. was arrested in port in Algeciras last year with more than two kilos of cannabis strapped to his body, and had been under surveillance since this January, since when he had made another four trips over to Cádiz from Ceuta. The 35 year old is reported to have sold the drugs on in the city and in Fuengirola, on the Costa del Sol.He has now been remanded to custody.

Enforced sex workers in Guardamar del Segura

National Police told news agency EFE that the criminal organisation entrapped women in Romania and forced them to work in clubs in Alicante province.Three men and two women, all from Romania, were arrested this week in Guardamar del Segura for belonging to a gang that carries out robberies and sexually exploits young compatriots.Their enquiries also led them to believe that the group was also carrying out robberies and burglaries.Officers first detained two men, one aged 36 and known as Spiraque, who is believed to be the leader of the group and another aged 23.Later they detained the third man aged 18, and two women, both aged 21.
One of the women was working in the club Nancy and the other had previously been working in the club Iris in La Marina, but had stopped as she was in an advanced state of pregnancy.Amongst the goods confiscated from the property in Guardamar was a diamond-tipped glass cutter for making holes in windows.The suspects were put at the disposition of a judge in Torrevieja.

British man was arrested for allegedly attempting to abuse children

A British man was arrested on Saturday evening at Entre Naranjos urbanisation in Orihuela for allegedly attempting to abuse children.News agency EFE reported that according to the regional supreme court, the suspect was sent to prison on Tuesday on charges of sexual abuse against children and refused bail.They noted that he also has previous criminal convictions for paedophilia offences in Britain.
A Spanish press report also alleges that British police alerted Interpol that the suspect faces an outstanding charge for which he could face extradition to the UK.
Residents from Entre Naranjos told CB News that the man was seen near a playground in a public green area with a group of children between the ages of three and six.
The children later alleged he had been touching them.The residents stated that one young child alleged he was sitting on the man’s knee and that he had given him beer to drink.A woman went to confront the suspect and he briskly walked away from the scene, taking several turnings down backstreets.The residents had already called the police and a group of locals managed to locate the individual and detain him until officers arrived and arrested him.A parent of one of the children said that he was reassured by the vigilance and quick action of members of his community, which may have prevented the incident from potentially having been more serious.He also said he was pleased and surprised by the swift response of the police and the action of the judicial services.Although residents say the suspect has lived in the neighbourhood since 2004, there had never been any reports of concern about his behaviour previously, although one neighbour alleged that the man had been seen taking photos of children in the playground two weeks previously.A number of paedophiles who had flown their country of origin were arrested in the Vega Baja last year.Two British men who were on the run from UK police were detained in Torrevieja at the end of August.One was classed as a high-risk sex offender who had been convicted for abusing children.Both men were sent to Madrid for extradition to the UK.

Roy Davis ,Mark Griffiths If found guilty of the murder and attempted murder the two men face up to 25 years in prison under Spain’s penal code.

Two Midlands men being held in custody in the UK are about to be extradited to Spain to face charges over the decade-old murder of 35-year-old Briton Yuri Slivinska.

The victim was killed at his Benidorm home on August 21, 1996, and the arrested men will also be questioned over the attempted murder of his mother Eva Slivinska.
The two men, Roy Davis aged 59 and Mark Griffiths, 37, tried unsuccessfully to stop the extradition claiming that it would be oppressive and unjust to send them back to Spain, but a judge at Westminster Magistrates court ruled that they could be extradited.
His decision was backed at the High Court in London by Lord Justice Moses sitting with Mr Justice Sullivan, who both rejected an appeal against the extradition.
At the time of the murder, police investigating the case believed thieves had entered the property and were surprised by Mr Slivinska and his mother.
He was stabbed repeatedly in the back and chest and his mother was left for dead with a deep stab wound to the chest.
Despite falling into a coma, Mrs Slivinska survived the vicious assault and since then has been waiting for the day when the men accused of the crime would stand trial.
As the investigation into the slaying continued, Mr Davis was questioned by police but was released without charge, he then left Spain.
Spanish police now claim that Davis paid Griffiths and two other men 10,000 pounds to kill Mr Slivinska but have not revealed the motive behind it.
If found guilty of the murder and attempted murder the two men face up to 25 years in prison under Spain’s penal code.

Important drugs capture on a beach in Mijas

reports of an important drugs haul on a beach in Mijas, Málaga province, where Civil Guard seized close to a ton of cannabis resin on a beach near Cabo Pino in the early hours of Sunday. Two Moroccans and a Spaniard were caught in the act as they were unloading 990 kilos of the drug into two waiting vehicles.

Motorist he had no driving licence and that he was also drunk

Motorist who drove on the wrong side of the A-7 motorway for 15 kilometres before he was stopped in the early hours of Sunday has been remanded to custody after appearing before a judge in Elche. The Crevillent Civil Guard warned other drivers along the way as they followed him from kilometre 724 as far as 739, and it was later found that he had no driving licence and that he was also drunk.The Información newspaper said he was six times over the legal limit, and that he told officers that he had no idea he was on the wrong side of the road until he was pulled over.He is due to appear in court on 11th March and faces a fine of more than 3,000 € and three years inside

Anthony C charged with keeping a Polish woman captive

A 31 year old man named by El Mundo newspaper as Anthony C. from the UK has been arrested by police on Mallorca, charged with keeping a Polish woman captive for two years. The paper said he met her in Porto Colom in May 2006, where she had arrived at the age of 22 to work in the tourist sector for the season, and that he had been holding her against her will ever since then, locking her inside the house when he went out.

Tonight programme

The Tonight programme, does not make any reference whatsoever to the death of a Scottish man who died after he was mugged in Benidorm town centre last December. We strongly refute any suggestion that we have “hidden interests” in trying to damage the city’s image.The programme does not focus on the Benidorm tourist resort but predominantly looks at crime against expats who have moved inland from the coast to more remote areas. The programme reflects the genuine concerns and experiences of British expats that have been victims of home invasions and burglaries; and includes interviews with local journalists and crime writers on the Eastern European gangs targeting parts of Spain.It is a balanced report that also refers to the successful efforts by Spanish police to combat crime in some areas of the Costas and comments by the Mayor of Torrevieja that offences have fallen by 40 per cent. Our report also includes a statement from the Spanish embassy that says that the rate of criminality in Spain is below the average of the European Union and below that of the UK.”

Spain is the biggest drug emporium in the world

US State Department has come out with a report identifying Spain as the biggest drug emporium in the world. It's the highway for cocaine entering the EU from Latin America and hashish coming in from Morocco. 3% of Spaniards use cocaine regularly; one in five European coke users is Spanish. Spain has a higher percentage of users of not only cocaine, but also hash and designer drugs, than any other European country.