Costa Blanca
Ale-Hop is getting ready to expand internationally

While Ale-Hop is based in Dénia, its main office is now in the province of Valencia. The company is looking at many countries with the goal of settling down with its famous cow in the near future by opening new stores and starting new businesses in the countries where it came from, using the group’s current structure to its advantage. In 2024, the Clave Dénia company was accepted as a member of the Forum of Renowned Spanish Brands (FMRE) as a brand with high international potential. This “solidified its commitment to excellence and strengthened the image of Spain in the international market.” Ale-Hop is getting ready to reach new goals and horizons in the international arena. It is continuing to strengthen its place in the national market and is also starting to sell its products in international markets like Portugal, Croatia, and Italy.
The business group’s sales rose by 31% to 224 million in 2023, the most recent available financial year, and it had more than 300 places of sale, bringing them back to levels seen before the pandemic. Besides that, the business made a net profit of 41 million euros. That being said, the group’s tax payment, which was 61 million euros in 2023, also stands out. In the same year, the first Mondo Vesta store opened. It was 1,600 square meters and sold “furniture, decoration items, gifts, household goods, home goods, as well as perfumery and cosmetics items.” This was made possible by the creation of a new company through a holding company.
The goal for them was to keep opening more stores all the way through 2024. They brought their famous cow to Italy “in search of new pastures” with an Italian company in the group. This helped other projects outside of Italy. The Italian store had a good first year, but they were “satisfied with the turnover, although we need to continue learning and improving in different fields.”
Any way you look at it, not having to depend on banks gives them the freedom to grow and make investments without having to borrow money. The group also planned to put more money into solar energy in 2024 through the Grimalt Obras y Servicios company. They also planned to open 25 to 30 new stores, which would be run by one of the group’s companies based on where they were located.
Getting bigger in the province of Valencia
A lack of land for supplies caused the Grimalt family to move from Dénia to Bellreguard. Since then, the family has been growing in the province of Valencia. Indeed, they have already talked about the “Activa Safor” project, which will give the Ale-Hop group a place to store goods, work, and do study for their business. A deal was made between Grimalt Patrimonial (Ale-Hop) and the town councils of Gandia and Bellreguard in Valencia to study, run, and grow this long-term strategic investment project. So, it would include setting up and advertising a transportation platform, offices, and an R&D&I centre for Grimalt Patrimonial’s business activities at the point where the municipalities of Gandia and Bellreguard meet.
The Ale-hop company is building a strong, smart and long-lasting base to become a consolidated international giant. Its fourth storage centre, which is in the El Brosquil industrial estate in Oliva, fits into this picture. It adds the ones that are already there in Bellreguard, Ondara, and Pedreguer. It can be reached from the N-332, the Pego road, and the AP-7 link. All of them, mostly in La Safor and Marina Alta. The company finished building the warehouse last year. It covers 17,800 square meters, has 13 loading and unloading docks, and can hold 31,000 boxes. The warehouse is on a 30,000-square-meter plot of land.
Discover more from Costa Blanca Daily
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Costa Blanca
Nineteen endangered turtles have been recovered in Alicante by police operations in 135 countries

As part of Operation Thunder, which has been conducted in 135 countries in cooperation with groups and entities like the World Customs Organisation, the Guardia Civil’s Nature Protection Service (Seprona) has detained 13 individuals on suspicion of being involved in the illegal trafficking of protected species in Spain.
According to Seprona, the programme is one of the biggest worldwide efforts to combat environmental crimes, having recovered over 20,000 wildlife species in recent years. nineteen endangered turtles have been saved in Alicante.
The cyber patrol was coordinated by Spanish agents with help from specialised NGOs and Europol, and included environmental crime experts from Croatia, Denmark, Finland, France, Hungary, Italy, Portugal, the Czech Republic, and the United Kingdom.
In Spain
The Guardia Civil in Spain has conducted 438 inspections, found 193 administrative and 11 criminal infractions, arrested and investigated 13 individuals, and seized 50 inert pieces, including ivory, tusks, paws, and skins, as well as 192 live specimens.
In his presentation of the investigations’ primary findings, Commander Ramón González Gallego noted that “in recent years we have detected a certain interest in venomous animals such as snakes,” and that “the European Union is a transit point, but also a destination and origin point for species trafficking,” particularly with regard to birds and reptiles.
Even if “some people are unaware that they are committing a crime,” the reality is that “we are increasingly seeing a more serious form of organised crime, which involves breeding and harvesting species for the purpose of generating profit.”
González claims that the financial gains from this kind of illicit commerce “vary depending on the sources consulted, but internationally, the range is very wide” and surpass 20 billion euros.
Penalties and violations
Along with one smuggling offence and another animal abuse offence linked to the trafficking of protected species, nearly all of the criminal offences found in Spain were related to document falsification.
The Natural Heritage and Biodiversity Law, CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) regulations, companion animal regulations, and animal health and disease and infection regulations were the most prominent administrative infractions.
According to Commander González, the punishments meted out to criminals in this space “are still low, but they are increasing because they are often associated with other crimes such as document forgery,” and “an increase in penalties is expected in the short term.”
Additionally, Operation Thunder has made it possible to identify wood shipments from countries like Russia and Burma that are forbidden because of their origin and EU regulations.
Operational Features
Among the noteworthy operations, Seprona reported recovering 32 species from under the seats and in the trunk of a car in Tenerife, including a gallipato, a Mexican orange-legged tarantula, and a tortoise.
During a check of a residence in Telde (Las Palmas de Gran Canaria), investigators found 31 other species, including pythons, enormous African snails, California garter snakes, yellow scorpions, and lizards.
18 internationally protected and endangered turtles were rescued by Guardia Civil officers in Alicante and taken to the Santa Faz Wildlife Recovery Centre.
A suitcase carrying 98 birds—both siskins and goldfinches, which are protected nationally—was discovered inside a car in Huelva.
Discover more from Costa Blanca Daily
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Costa Blanca
Torrevieja’s new Local Police fleet

Eduardo Dolón, the mayor of Torrevieja, Federico Alarcón, the councillor for security and emergencies, and Alejandro Morer, the director general of police, presented the 17 new cars that will be used by the Local Police on Paseo Vista Alegre yesterday morning, Wednesday 2nd March. The vehicles will be leased for four years with a purchase option.
A total of 1,147,660.80 euros (286,915.20 euros for each contract year) is allocated for the purchase of these cars.
The 17 vehicles that are leased are:
- Ten SUV patrol cars, all hybrids (four equipped with police gear and an arrest kit, and six equipped with police gear but no arrest kit).
- Two vans: one with nine seats for police equipment and one for police and report preparations.
- A police-equipped all-terrain pickup truck for the Environmental Group.
- Four local police general service support cars without police gear (they should only have rotating magnetic LED lights with an integrated siren and, in three of them, police shields on the front and rear hoods and doors).
In addition, the successful bidder, Transtel, has offered to deliver to Torrevieja City Council two portable vehicle battery jump starters, each worth €200, two fixed/portable vehicle jump starters/chargers, each worth €600, and a high-quality workshop tool trolley with at least 170 parts, valued at €300.
Eduardo Dolón, the mayor of Torrevieja, has emphasised the financial investments made by the city council of Torrevieja in recent years to enhance the number of police officers and the fleet of vehicles of the Local Police, which has increased significantly in the last two years.
Eduardo Dolón said that the government team hopes to increase the number of officers in the Torrevieja Local Police force to 200 by the end of the current term in 2027. This is a significant number in order to provide all the necessary citizen security services that the thousands of tourists who visit Torrevieja each year and the residents of Torrevieja themselves deserve.
Discover more from Costa Blanca Daily
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Costa Blanca
Man arrested in Torrevieja for the death of a 5-year-old jailed

Following his appearance today, Thursday 3rd April, before the judge of the Court of Violence against Women number 2 of Murcia, Jesús J. “Suso,” 48, who was arrested in Torrevieja as the suspected perpetrator of the death of his five-year-old stepdaughter in the Murcian district of Llano de Brujas, will be held in provisional custody without bail.
Additionally, judicial sources state that the adoptive mother has also been questioned as a victim-witness, always accompanied by the victim support unit psychologist. A number of witnesses have also been questioned, including the detainee’s brother and parents.
Along with initiating the required support and social protection measures by directing her to the appropriate authorities, the court has also issued a protection order against the victim, which forbids the accused from contacting or approaching her as a precaution. Although the inmate had no prior allegations of gender-based assault, the court found him guilty in 2010 and 2014 of making threats in connection with domestic abuse, for which he was imprisoned for two years initially and then for an additional year.
The accused was taken to court facilities at 9:40 am following his arrest in Torrevieja on Tuesday, 1st April. Under the watchful observation of National Police officers, some of the girl’s family gathered at the entrance to the City of Justice in Murcia to demand justice for Nadia.
The incident, which has stunned society, happened last Tuesday when Jesús J.G. called the minor’s adoptive mother, Ramona, and said, “The girl is already in heaven.” The accused’s parents later discovered the youngster dead at the family home in the Llano de Brujas district, allegedly as a result of the minor consuming pills or other narcotics.
Given that retaliation against his former spouse may have been the driving force behind the crime, preliminary investigations suggest that vicarious violence may have occurred. Although there were records of threats in texts sent to the victim’s mother, there were no prior reports of abuse.
Discover more from Costa Blanca Daily
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
-
Costa Blanca2 weeks ago
In Alicante, a criminal group that specialised in robberies at pharmacies and banks has been dismantled
-
Costa Blanca2 weeks ago
Torrevieja beach bars placed out to tender, but they won’t open until summer
-
News2 weeks ago
Torrevieja earthquake simulation CANCELLED
-
Costa Blanca12 hours ago
Before Easter, the new road through La Hoya should open
-
Costa Blanca2 weeks ago
Elche sets the regulations for riding bicycles and e-scooters
-
Costa Blanca2 weeks ago
Earthquake drill about to start in Torrevieja
-
Costa Blanca2 weeks ago
Police prevent three squatters from taking over an Alicante home
-
Costa Blanca2 weeks ago
Elche mother sentenced to 19 years for the murder of her son and the abuse of her twins