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48 arrested for sexually exploiting 1,000 women in Alicante clubs

National Police Brothel Arrests

A criminal organisation reportedly involved in the trafficking of women for the purpose of sexual exploitation in strip clubs in the province of Alicante has been dismantled by the National Police. 48 women have been released and 48 people have been arrested as a result of the operation (two in Murcia and 46 in Alicante, six of whom have been placed in provisional detention).

Over 1,000 women are thought to have been exploited by the network in the past 12 months. False job offers deceived the victims, who were primarily from South America, into travelling to Spain.

Three strip clubs have been shut down by the National Police after conducting eight house searches in Alicante. They have also blocked 938,000 euros in bank accounts, immobilised 17 properties valued at 1,313,087 euros, confiscated eight forbidden weapons, and confiscated over 150,000 euros in cash, among other items.

A complaint on the National Police’s phone line 900 105 090, which, together with the email Trata@policia.es, encourages citizen cooperation and the private and anonymous reporting of human trafficking-related crimes, sparked the inquiry.

The victims were tricked by phoney work offers in Spain’s cleaning and beauty services industries in their home countries, primarily Colombia and Venezuela. The victims were brought to the clubs to be sexually exploited, but the offer did not materialise when they arrived.

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Investigators were able to verify the existence of this transnational criminal organisation in Spain, which was situated in the province of Alicante and was operated by two Colombian women and a Spanish national, thanks to the many investigations that were started at that time. The latter spent his weekends with his family in the Murcia region and his weekdays managing his business in Alicante.

The organization’s structure included two tiers in addition to the three leaders: the taxi drivers who were responsible for driving the women on their outings to give home services and the people in charge of the strip clubs.

Clubs in Orihuela, Elche, and Alicante


The criminal group operated three strip clubs in Alicante, Elche, and Orihuela, which they attempted to pass off as hostels or guest residences in order to conceal their operations. Through the sexual exploitation of numerous foreign women in precarious situations, the network had established a commercial structure intended to benefit itself.

The victims, who were residents of the strip clubs themselves, were compelled to work around the clock, were constantly watched by members of the criminal organisation using sophisticated image and sound video surveillance systems, and had limited freedom of movement because they were only allowed to leave the house for two hours at a time.

They received no respite at all during the first week of labour, and starting in the second week, they were only allowed to have one day off under the supervision of the defunct organisation. According to investigations, the network took at least 40% of each service that the women provided; these funds were then handed directly to the organization’s leaders.

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In order to draw in more customers, keep from getting arrested, and mimic a legitimate hospitality company operation, the victims were transferred between the several clubs. The sale of drugs to customers in the various strip clubs might also be detected.


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Costa Blanca

In Torrevieja and Murcia, 158,000 ecstasy pills and 15 kilos of drugs seized

Torrevieja Murcia Drugs

Thirty-three arrests, 158,000 ecstasy tablets, ten kilogrammes of speed, two kilogrammes of cocaine, three kilogrammes of crystal meth, 40,000 euros, two firearms, and a tablet-forming machine for pill production. Several phases of an anti-drug operation were conducted by the National Police of Murcia, culminating in the arrest of five individuals and the thwarting of a transaction involving over one hundred thousand ecstasy pills in Torrevieja at the end of last February. The officers employed their service weapons to apprehend the traffickers.

The investigation, which has so far yielded 33 convictions in municipalities in the Region of Murcia and Torrevieja, is being overseen by a Cartagena court. However, the case remains unresolved, and the police are currently in the process of identifying additional suspects. The court in Cartagena ordered that all five of the individuals arrested in Torrevieja be detained in pretrial detention.

The Torrevieja operation occurred at the end of February last year. The National Police were pursuing a suspect from Cartagena whose vehicle had been geolocated with judicial authorisation. Officers monitored this individual, who goes by the alias Peter, as he arrived at the open-air parking lot of a Torrevieja supermarket. They also observed his interactions with other individuals who arrived in various vehicles.

The surveillance was augmented by additional police officers after the officers observed a consistent flow of individuals between the parking lot and a café. Later, an unknown individual arrived at the scene in an Opel Vectra, received directions, and proceeded to a residence on Calle Santa Petra in Torrevieja. Upon arrival, two individuals exited the vehicle, entered the residence, and emerged seconds later with a large bag and two suitcases.

The Opel Vectra continued to drive under the watchful eye of the authorities and subsequently proceeded to Calle Ciprés in the Torrevieja district of La Mata. It entered an underground garage, and a few minutes later, the suspect from Cartagena, who was being observed in the supermarket parking lot, and several other individuals departed in multiple vehicles and proceeded to Calle Ciprés.

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Upon reaching Calle Ciprés, they parked outside the garage and the occupants of the vehicles exited. The driver of the Opel Vectra emerged from the underground garage shortly thereafter. After momentarily conversing with Peter and another individual, he entered the parking lot, while the remaining individuals remained on the street, serving as counter-surveillance.

One of the officers on patrol was able to enter the garage through a pedestrian access door and he observed the Opel Vectra’s trunk being tampered with. Peter and his companion exited the garage and hastily made their way to his vehicle a few moments later. The officers were observed by those conducting counter-surveillance while they were attempting to follow Peter.

One of them began to flee, exclaiming, “Run, police, run!” At that moment, Peter extracted a bag from his private parts that contained 91 ecstasy pills of varying colours and logos, including Porsche and Philipp Plein, and flung it to the ground in an attempt to flee in his vehicle.

The plainclothes officers identified themselves as police officers; however, all parties involved obeyed the investigators’ warnings and fled. One of the officers was wounded during the suspects’ attack, and the investigators fired warning bullets to prevent their escape.

The police operation led to the arrest of five individuals, and a search of the car parked in the underground parking lot yielded just over 100,000 ecstasy pills of the same variety as those confiscated from Peter outside. Subsequently, the police conducted further investigations in Torrevieja and confiscated an additional substantial quantity of ecstasy.

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Costa Blanca

Car catches fire at a petrol station in Elche

Elche Van Fire

On Monday, March 17, at noon, a small van set alight in the vicinity of the petrol station pumps on the road from Santa Pola to Elche, at the exit from the EL-20 highway.

The Provincial Consortium has dispatched two fire personnel to extinguish the fire that has consumed the vehicle.

Fortunately, the fire crews’ prompt response prevented the fire from encroaching on the petrol station premises, thereby preventing a potentially hazardous situation. Consequently, only material damage was documented.


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Torrevieja Hospital call for reinforcements: “It’s overwhelmed, there are patients in the hallways”

Torrevieja Hospital

The SATSE Nursing Union reports that the emergency department at Torrevieja University Hospital is “overwhelmed,” resulting in a surge in the number of nurses. Patients are being treated in hallways and waiting rooms.

The union has released a statement that condemns the “serious staff shortage in the emergency department, a problem that has persisted since the beginning of 2024 and remains unresolved.”

They assert that the situation has only deteriorated since that time. “We’re not asking for a fix, but rather a structural increase in the nursing staff to guarantee quality care for patients and decent working conditions for professionals,” the organisation asserts.

Emergency Department personnel at Torrevieja University Hospital continue to be “overwhelmed.” They further state that the current situation involves a “insufficient number of nursing professionals to guarantee adequate care,” as two patients are being treated in the same treatment room (box), while others are being treated in the hallways and others are receiving treatment in the same waiting room.

“The workload is at an unsustainable level, and it is unlikely that the situation will improve in the upcoming weeks,” they lament.

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They are now concerned that the pressure on nursing and nursing staff will be further exacerbated by the advent of Easter and summer, without any reinforcement. This could potentially jeopardise the safety of patients and the occupational health of workers.

They discovered that the hospital is experiencing a staffing deficit in emergency shifts, with a shortage of between 14 and 17 nurses Monday through Friday and between 15 and 18 on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, after comparing the staffing standards and recommendations established by the Ministry of Health. Moreover, the TCAE staff shortage is approximately 7 to 10 positions during the week, and 8 to 11 positions on weekends and holidays.

“Despite the seriousness of the situation, we have not received any response from the hospital management,” according to SATSE. In light of the absence of solutions, a second request was submitted on July 11th, 2024, for a psychosocial risk survey to evaluate the health effects of work overload on Emergency Department personnel. However, the request was not resolved.

Although they assert that the department’s management has increased the physician ratio in the emergency department, they have not done the same for the nursing ratio, which is responsible for administering patient treatment and providing front-line care.

The quality of care is being directly impacted by the shortage of nurses, which is the primary concern for healthcare workers. It is “essential” to increase the nursing personnel to ensure that all patients receive adequate care.

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Priscilla, Queen of the Desert - The Musical in Murcia
January 30, 2025 - February 2, 2025    
All Day
From the silver screen to the stage, via a big silver bus, Priscilla, Queen of the Desert comes to Murcia with the Spanish stage show [...]
Torrevieja Carnival 2025
February 7, 2025 - March 2, 2025    
All Day
Torrevieja's famous carnival takes place from 7 February to 2 March 2025, with all the usual parades and events surrounding this cultural delight.
Torrevieja Jobs Fair
February 13, 2025    
09:30 - 14:00
The "Virgen del Carmen" Cultural Centre in Torrevieja will be the site of the 1st Employment Fair for Inclusion today, Thursday, February 13, from 9:30 [...]
International Open BMX Racing Weekend in Elche
February 15, 2025 - February 16, 2025    
09:00 - 16:00
This weekend, Elche will be the site of the International Open BMX Racing. This is expected to be the best BMX competition ever, with some [...]
Torrevieja National Drag Queen Contest
February 15, 2025    
21:00 - 22:45
An evening of breathtaking entertainment featuring the world's most risk-taking and energetic Drag Queen performances is about to take place at the Torrevieja International Auditorium. [...]
Javea Sunday Market
February 16, 2025    
11:00 - 14:00
Come discover a wide selection of handcrafted goods for sale at the weekly Artisan and Craft Market, which is held every Sunday from 11:00 to [...]
OST: Tchaikovsky and Schubert in Torrevieja
February 22, 2025    
19:00 - 20:30
If you're a fan of classical music, you won't want to miss the third concert of the 2024–25 season by the Torrevieja Symphony Orchestra. The [...]
Artichoke and Broccoli Gastronomic Fair in San Fulgencio
February 23, 2025    
11:00 - 14:00
At this fair, let the different tastes of artichoke and broccoli surprise you. Try some tapas made with these delicious items. You can also join [...]
Il Trovatore in Torrevieja
February 26, 2025    
20:00 - 22:00
The Municipal Theatre in Torrevieja will be the host to the opera Il Trovatore on Wednesday 26 February, 2025.
Orihuela Medieval Market
February 28, 2025 - March 2, 2025    
All Day
Orihuela hosts a medieval festival every year. The market starts at the Cathedral and has many stalls selling food, drink, souvenirs, artefacts, jewellery, and apparel, [...]
Events on January 30, 2025
Events on February 7, 2025
Torrevieja Carnival 2025
7 Feb 25
Torrevieja
Events on February 13, 2025
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Javea Sunday Market
16 Feb 25
Xàbia
Events on February 22, 2025
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Il Trovatore in Torrevieja
26 Feb 25
Torrevieja
Events on February 28, 2025
Orihuela Medieval Market
28 Feb 25
Orihuela

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