In the provinces of Alicante, Valencia, and Murcia, the Guardia Civil and the National Police have dismantled a criminal organisation that specialised in the burglary of pharmacies, banks, and businesses as part of Operation Farmacash-Botica. The operation led to the apprehension of six individuals and the confiscation of specialised tools, cash, and vehicles that were used in the robberies.

A criminal organisation that is structured and professional in nature

The Guardia Civil and the National Police initiated a joint investigation in August 2024 in response to an increase in robberies at pharmacies, particularly in El Campello, Playa de San Juan, and Marina Alta. The burglaries were executed with remarkable speed and precision: the perpetrators forced open doors, tore open cash registers or safes, and fled in high-end vehicles with modified license plates.

The criminal network, which was composed of individuals with a variety of criminal histories, maintained a rigid division of labour. Some members were responsible for the robbery itself, while others served as security personnel, employing shuttle vehicles. Others provided escape vehicles, which were previously stolen automobiles.

Concurrent arrests and confiscation of property

A total of seven residence searches were conducted in Orihuela, Torrevieja, Benidorm, Villajoyosa, and Dénia after months of investigation, resulting in the arrest of six members of the organisation. In the course of the searches, €7,000 in cash, a blank-firing pistol, clothing utilised in the burglaries, bolt cutters and other lock-picking tools, GPS tracking beacons, walkie-talkies, an OBD key-cloning machine, an Italian Police tactical vest, and five vehicles utilised in the crimes were seized.

The investigation was conducted by the Assets Team of the Patrimonio de la Unidad Orgánica de Policía Judicial (UOPJ) of Alicante, the Equipo Contra el Crimen Organizado based in Alicante (ECO Levante) la Unidad Central Operativa (UCO) and the Unidad de Delincuencia Especializada y Violenta (UDEV) of the National Police of Alicante. The Judicial Police Team of the Guardia Civil of San Juan and the Guardia Civil and Local Police of El Campello also collaborated.

Albanian, Kosovar, Bulgarian, and Yugoslav nationalities are represented among the detainees, who possess extensive criminal histories in Spain. One of them is prohibited from entering the country, while the other has a history of homicide in Ukraine. They have been charged with 42 counts of burglary, larceny with violence, organised crime, and document falsification. They have been hauled before Investigating Court No. 3 of Elche, which has ordered their imprisonment.

Adhesive the stage act has been sensationally abandoned by Vicky’s daughter, who has followed in her late mother’s footsteps, thereby leaving behind her family’s Benidorm legacy.

The unexpected decision was made after María Gadea Aragón assumed responsibility for the adult-themed magic performances following the passing of her mother, Victoria María Aragón Gadea, in 2023 at the age of 80.

María, who had been employing her mother’s stage identity in the well-known Spanish resort, has now discontinued her performances after a decade on stage.

María performed frequently at venues including the Palladium, Zodiaco, and Rockerfellers, as well as Benidorm which is a popular destination for British expatriates and vacationers.

Des Bellamy-Wright, an employee at the Benidorm Palladium, verified that María is no longer employed in the lively Spanish city. Des stated, “Sticky Vicky is no longer operational in Benidorm.” The ‘Carmen Snake – Sticky Show’ is a similarly entertaining program that is broadcast every night at 12:45 a.m. “

The official reason for Maria’s retirement was not disclosed, and her final performance was in November 2024.

The Swedish retail chain H&M announced in 2024 that it would be reducing the number of stores and employment it has in Spain due to “organisational, productive, and economic” reasons. Around 50 layoffs were the result of the closure of stores in the L’Aljub retail centres in Elche, Ociopía in Orihuela, and Habaneras in Torrevieja, which had consequences for the province of Alicante.

Additionally, these were the sole instances in the Valencian Community that were impacted. The Torrevieja store was the first to shut its doors in May 2024 since that time. The Orihuela store was subsequently closed on September 14th of the same year. Currently, the Elche store has shuttered its doors. The facility was closed to the public on March 14th, following its final day of operation on March 11th. It will be entirely shut down on March 22nd. Approximately 20 employees are being laid off at this Elche store. It is the final establishment in the province of Alicante that will not reopen, and the circumstances of the dismissal were negotiated in October. The employees have departed the company with an agreement as a result of these negotiations, according to Yolanda de la Casa, the general secretary of the CCOO Services Federation in Alicante.

The dismissal terms that were established following the October negotiations were 45 days until 2012 and 33 days until the present. A gratuity of 3,500 euros was granted for the first five years, 4,000 euros for the next ten years, and a maximum of 4,500 euros for the subsequent years.

Furthermore, three relocations have occurred among the 50 individuals who were laid off in the province, spanning Elche, Orihuela, and Torrevieja. Lely Fernández of UGT l’Alacantí-La Marina informed this newspaper that these were part-time employees from the Habaneras shopping centre in Torrevieja who were transferred to the La Zenia shopping centre, which continues to operate and is accessible.

H&M initiated 2024 by announcing the closure of 28 stores and approximately 588 collective redundancies. The figure was reduced to 521 reductions in a subsequent revision.

The Torrevieja store closed its doors to the public on May 17th, 2024, and the lease expired on May 24th, never to be reopened. Nevertheless, numerous employees at this establishment were granted the opportunity to relocate to other nearby stores that were still operational. In September 2024, Ociopía followed suit, and Elche followed suit in March 2025.

The H&M group operates over 100 stores and employs nearly 4,000 individuals in the country. This decision was made by the Scandinavian company in order to “adapt and perfect” its stores in a “changing” shopping environment for its consumers. Additionally, Spain would be responsible for 17% of the brand’s global closures, as indicated by the data that the company disclosed months ago when it presented its 2023 financial year.