The Guardia Civil has dismantled a criminal network that was specifically dedicated to the purchase of vehicles that were purportedly imported from Germany and Belgium. The authorities have detained two of the three alleged members of the network in the province of Alicante, and two workshops in Elche are implicated in the scheme.

Fake contracts and recordings from abroad were used to deceive the victims of the alleged fraudsters, who attracted them through websites. The economic damage has been quantified at over 200,000 euros, with ten victims across Spain, following the analysis of the information acquired during the investigation. However, investigators do not rule out the possibility of new victims.

The Santa Pola Investigation Area and the Madrid Judicial Police Unit initiated the operations ‘Dasrobimport’ and ‘Bábaros’ on September 11th, 2024, in response to numerous complaints from victims in various regions of the country. These complaints were all associated with a company that operated through two websites and online sales platforms.

The strategy entailed attracting the attention of potential purchasers, obtaining their signature on a contract, and requesting a financial transfer as a reserved payment. Subsequently, new quantities were requested, citing purported logistical issues, but the vehicle was never delivered.

In order to create a more convincing appearance of legitimacy, the purported manager of the organisation even recorded videos from abroad that displayed the vehicles. This move fostered trust among the victims and facilitated the deception. Nevertheless, the investigation disclosed that the addresses specified in the contracts were inaccurate, with some of them being residential addresses in cities such as Santa Pola or Elche, where there was no genuine commercial activity.

Ultimately, on March 11th, a 27-year-old male was apprehended in Aspe, a 37-year-old woman in Torrellano, and a 39-year-old individual in the province of Tarragona. In the municipality of El Vendrell (Tarragona), an investigation was also conducted on a 30-year-old woman.

The juvenile gangs of Villajoyosa are persistent, which has once again caused concern among certain residents of the municipality. In recent days, they have been observed engaging in fights, vandalising vehicles, and stealing, with some of the incidents involving knives.

Videos of these organisations, which were established by young individuals from the municipality, are currently being shared on social media. They exhibit their members engaging in fights that resemble genuine pitched battles and damaging vehicles.

The town’s residents have disclosed their experiences on social media platforms and have denounced the increasing insecurity that has invaded specific regions of the town.

In the past few days, a gang from La Vila and another from Benidorm have engaged in a confrontation. The video captures the dispute, in which a number of young people are observed striking another individual with punches and knees while they are on the ground.

Another of the most sensational videos is that of two other young people in what appears to be a struggle with a large knife in the Pati Fosc park, which is located just a few metres from the CEIP Mare Nostrum.

These groups have had a particularly severe impact on this neighbourhood, as they have been known to smash vehicle windows, empty fire extinguishers, hurl rocks at windows, and pull down shutters on businesses. This has caused fear among residents and shopkeepers.

The Villajoyosa Neighbourhood Group (GVV), a political party that was established by the merger of numerous neighbourhood groups, has spoken out and shared a series of recordings to condemn the situation.

Residents share their experiences and urge action in the posts.

“Enough of this selfless behaviour. I have been apprehensive about walking the dog since before the end of the year, as I arrive home from work at night. This town is a high-quality tourist attraction and is characterised by its stunning beauty. One resident laments, “The consequences of failure to act are always negative, even for good people.” “Nothing will occur until the death of an individual’s daughter or son,” observes another.

These incidents are in addition to the ongoing vehicle vandalism and another recent mass altercation. One video depicts a gang member jumping from the hood of one vehicle to the hood of another between parked cars.

Quantifications

Robberies and score-settling have become prevalent in the municipal market. In recent months, there have been frequent conflicts between clans and gangs, and on Thursday, numerous pickpockets exploited the area’s activity.

The Villajoyosa Neighbourhood Group has urged the city council to take “urgent action to address this situation” and has sought a more effective and deterrent police presence within the market. In the interim, they strongly encourage residents to exercise utmost caution.

The situation has caused many residents to erupt, despite the fact that it is localised to specific areas of the town. Another user commented, “If the police fail to fulfil their obligations, it is incumbent upon us to take action.”

Nevertheless, a significant number of individuals have disseminated bigoted and xenophobic messages directed at the Muslim community and have linked juvenile delinquency to immigration.

The ‘hippies’, who relocated from the Explanada to the Port of Alicante on April 4th, are now counting down to their reopening. On the Alicante port promenade, the new and vibrant stalls are situated between the Fish Market and the children’s park.

The ‘hippies’ kiosks will officially open and begin selling their distinctive artisanal products at 7 p.m. on Friday, April 11th, after more than three months of hard work.

The newly designed stalls, which are reminiscent of South Beach, Miami, feature inspiring phrases, transforming them into another tourist attraction and revitalising the sales locations.

Consequently, the wait is over, and the craft market, which was previously situated on the Explanada, will reopen its stalls “after three months of work and overcoming challenges,” they explain in a statement. They emphasise that “despite the difficulties, we have 15 stalls full of colour, hope, and creativity, offering unique and original products.”

During the day, vendors inform visitors that they can participate in activities for children, such as face painting or balloon sculptures created by a balloon artist, as well as appreciate motivational phrases printed on the stalls.

Transferring from the Explanada

Conflicts between the vendors of the Explanada and the City Council have persisted for several months. The Port Authority has announced that the vendors will be relocated to the Port Market for an initial period of one year, following their unsuccessful search for a new location.