Costa Blanca

17 arrested for people trafficking after the death of two Brits in a road accident

Following the deaths of two persons in a traffic accident on the La Manga del Mar Menor highway, National Police agents, working in tandem with the Civil Guard, have eliminated a criminal organisation that specialises in migrant trafficking.

Two persons were killed and eleven injured in the November 16th tragedy, which happened when a car blocking the road with a caravan that was towing a boat caused seven vehicles to collide.

17 persons have been taken into custody by agents on suspicion of belonging to a group that uses fast boats to encourage illegal immigration. Two cars, including the one involved in the fatal collision, two weapons, cell phones, beacons, and drugs were seized as a consequence of three searches conducted in Molina del Segura (Murcia), Elche, and Rojales.

The inquiry started on October 6th with the seizure of a rubber boat with a 150 HP engine and the arrest of three individuals by Civil Guard agents near kilometre 10 of the La Manga del Mar Menor road. A GPS, a satellite phone, 14 30-liter petrol canisters, bags, equipment, clothing and food were all confiscated from the boat.

Since then, the National Police and Civil Guard have been conducting a joint investigation, which has led to the discovery of a criminal organisation that reportedly planned to launch a small boat in the region.

Two British individuals lost their lives in a deadly accident.

An accident on the RM-12 route (El Algar-La Manga del Mar Menor), which runs through the municipality of Cabo de Palos-Cartagena, was reported to the Civil Guard one month later on November 16. When the authorities got there, they saw a number of automobiles colliding with an inflatable boat, resulting in a multiple accident. It appears that the accident happened when a car carrying a boat blocked the road with a trailer, causing seven automobiles to collide. Two British nationals, ages 49 and 57, were killed in the accident, and eleven others suffered injuries of various degrees.

The investigation’s main goal was to dismantle a suspected criminal network that was involved in the transportation of people and drugs across the Strait of Gibraltar after it was established that the vessel was a 10-meter inflatable boat with two 300 HP motors.

The brand and model of the car that was carrying the boat on the day of the collision, the location where it might have been concealed, and the driver’s name were all determined by investigators following multiple police investigations. The agents also found a number of residences connected to the criminal organisation they were investigating and were able to identify a number of individuals.

For the purpose of trafficking migrants, they employed swift boats with strong engines.
Although the structural damage was compatible with the accident, the inquiry found that the suspects had altered the registration number of the car used to transport the boat that resulted in the deadly collision on the La Manga road. The officers also discovered an electrical system that prevented the car’s front and back lights from turning on at the same time, allowing the driver to evade potential police monitoring.

According to agents, the disbanded organization’s primary activity was human trafficking, which involved moving people from North Africa to the Spanish coast via fast boats. Furthermore, they equipped themselves with stolen automobiles that they had fabricated license plates and paperwork for. They may make up to two journeys a day thanks to this innovative method of operation, which involves using high-quality boats (Phantom type) with powerful engines that cut the travel duration to about four or five hours.

In addition, the network was well-structured, with members clearly delineating their responsibilities. Some of them served as front men to give the boats the appearance of legality, while others were devoted to the preparation of the boats as well as the protection and custody of the pateras.

Three searches and 17 arrests were made in Molina de Segura (Murcia), Elche, and Rojales.
Ultimately, a sizable police force was used to carry out the operation on February 25th by operatives from the Civil Guard and the National Police.

17 people were taken into custody by the officers on suspicion of homicide, injuries, traffic safety violations, damage, abandoning the scene of an accident, illegal gun possession, drug trafficking, smuggling, document falsification, violating the rights of foreign nationals (by aiding illegal immigration), and membership in a criminal organisation.

Additionally, two cars, including the one that caused the deadly accident, a shotgun, a handgun, and ammunition were found during searches conducted in three homes in Molina de Segura (Murcia), Elche, and Rojales (Alicante). In addition, they confiscated almost 3,000 euros, 15 cell phones, beacons, various amounts of hashish and cocaine, and precision scales.

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Related Topics:Alicante Arrest Boat Boats Brits Cars Cocaine Deaths Drugs Elche Hashish Illegal Murcia National People Police Rojales Traffic Trafficking

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Costa Blanca

Hospitality and recreation establishments in Elche receive 36 infringement reports from local police

The Elche Local Police conducted an operation that involved inspecting thirteen hospitality and leisure outlets in various neighbourhoods, resulting in one arrest and 36 violations. The data was made public on Friday, 28th March, mainly as a reminder of the work that is being done. Councilman Juan de Dios Navarro gave the police top for their efforts.

According to local police inspector José Antonio Corrales, the majority of the infractions included drug usage and possession, including four for cocaine possession and seven for hashish, as well as improper company documentation. Additionally, there were two reports for disturbing the peace or disrespecting law enforcement, four for not following the minimum hygienic standards for food storage, one serious infraction for conducting the activity after hours and behind closed doors, and seven for irregularities found on the property, including improper documentation.

Additionally, officers found six infractions for permitting smoking in unapproved indoor locations, three for type “B” slot machine identification guide deficiencies, and one major infraction for emergency escape and door flaws. Additionally, a report was made about the selling of illegal tobacco at a pub, where 20 packets were confiscated and one individual was detained on court order and imprisoned.

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Costa Blanca

Visitor to Catral cemetery locked inside

As nightfall approached on one of these soggy spring days in March, a young man decided it would be a good idea to visit a cousin or acquaintance’s grave and take a walk through the cemetery. Because the cemetery still closes its (automatic) gates at six o’clock at this time of year, but without the winter gloom that may discourage anyone from going.

However, the door was locked when he attempted to exit. The visitor didn’t seem to want to spend any more time among the cemeteries, despite the cemetery’s reputation as a particularly tranquil spot. Unaware of the placard bearing the mobile phone number for anyone needing help, he dashed out the gate. It was all on camera.

Joaquín Lucas, the mayor of Catral, maintains that this occurrence is unrelated to the privatisation of the cemetery works and feels that management by an outside company is an efficient approach to provide this service in a municipal office. He went on to say that the young man who who was locked in is from the nearby municipality of Dolores rather than Catral.

The local police took to social media and atacked the man’s “reckless” behaviour. He has been named in connection with “criminal proceedings for a crime against another’s property.” Nonetheless, the business will be liable for any damages brought on by the damaged door anchors.

In addition to clarifying that the business employs two workers—a gravedigger and a labourer who maintains the communal areas and restrooms—the Councillor for Services, Daniel Escudero, reaffirmed that the automatic door is an option offered by the company itself.

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Costa Blanca

Five arrested in Alicante and Murcia for shoplifting

Five individuals involved in grocery theft have been taken into custody by the Guardia Civil. In the regions of Alicante and Murcia, the thieves were stealing in a number of locations for a well-known supermarket company. The things that were stolen are worth over 8,000 euros in total.

The investigation started after the retail chain representative filed a complaint. The pattern was consistent across all cases: three or four people went into the store, and one of them loaded up a cart with expensive things like canned goods, extra virgin olive oil, sausages, or alcoholic drinks. The last one hurried out of the grocery without paying, and another diverted the attention of the staff.

It was discovered that the same people were responsible for the crimes in multiple towns in Alicante and Murcia after examining the security footage from the impacted businesses. Since the suspects did not live in the residences where they were registered and lacked a stable address, it was very difficult to find them.

Shortly after committing another theft at a store in a suburban neighbourhood of Rojales (Alicante), officers caught two of the suspects off guard and took them into custody. Many of the stolen goods were found at that time and brought back to the impacted business.

The other three were later taken into custody in the cities of Almoradí (Alicante) and Guardamar del Segura. The majority of the pilfered items were sold on. Additionally, the two cars that were utilised in the crimes were taken.

Eleven thefts have been resolved as a consequence of the investigation conducted by the Novelda Civil Guard’s investigation section. The cities of Novelda, Torrevieja, Almoradí, Catral, and Rojales in Alicante as well as the municipalities of San Javier, Jumilla, San Pedro del Pinatar, Cartagena, Archena, and Caravaca de la Cruz in Murcia were the sites of these crimes.