A boat using illegal fishing equipment to catch octopus (Octopus vulgaris) in Santa Pola Bay has been found and taken by the Guardia Civil, working together with Maritime Fisheries inspectors from the Alicante government, as part of a joint operation.

According to a statement from the fishing institute, the intervention occurred on February 5 when fisheries inspectors requested assistance after observing a semi-rigid boat with two individuals on board, one of whom was wearing a diving suit, depositing pieces of pipe on the seabed as traps from the coast.

The occupants of the vessel were identified, and the equipment they were transporting was inspected after it was intercepted with the assistance of the Provincial Maritime Service and the Special Underwater Activities Group (GEAS). The inspection led to the discovery of buckets, tools, and a vial of sodium hypochlorite (bleach). During this initial operation, we recovered the first illicit trap.

GEAS returned to the area to conduct a “thorough search” of the seabed during a subsequent survey, this time with specialised diving equipment. Consequently, eight homemade traps constructed from PVC tubing were discovered and confiscated, with some of them being driven into the seabed using blunt instruments. Live octopuses were contained within four of the cages, and they were “immediately released into the sea.”

The Guardia Civil asserted that the fishing gear was devoid of any signage or identification, which is a violation of current regulations. These regulations mandate that all professional fishing gear be properly identified with the vessel’s name and registration.

The illicit material was seized, and the corresponding sanction proposals were processed after all the checks were conducted by the officers. The sustainability of the marine ecosystem is “significantly endangered” by the use of this form of illegal trap, which targets protected species without control, including juveniles under the regulatory weight of one kilogram.

In addition, this illicit activity “seriously harms professional fishermen” by introducing catches outside of legal marketing channels, such as fish markets. Some of these landings may be sold to the hospitality industry through illegal channels, without the minimum health and traceability guarantees that are necessary for fish products.

The Guardia Civil has issued a warning that illicit fishing is a severe violation of the Maritime Fishing Law and can result in fines ranging from €601 to €60,000.

The National Police have apprehended over twenty individuals in various regions of the country, including Alicante, on suspicion of engaging in violent assaults using the “hugger mugger” technique. Using this method, the alleged perpetrators acquired loot and subsequently sent it to Romania.

The police operation, which was coordinated by Europol and conducted in collaboration with the Romanian Police, resulted in 21 arrests, 13 of which were made in Murcia and 8 in Madrid. Additionally, Europol conducted 16 searches in both countries, obtaining evidence in connection with 46 alleged property offences.

Therefore, the case continues to be unresolved until the apprehension of four additional suspects who are currently located outside of Spain and have already been issued international arrest warrants.

The network was specialised in violent robberies and larceny in the vicinity of, as well as in tourist areas of Madrid, particularly in the area of, according to a statement from the General Directorate of Police that reports on the operation.

The criminal modality of the involves robberies that are conducted through a, in which the robbers embrace the victims before stealing without warning.

Clan leaders would disseminate criminal equipment and vehicles throughout the country and control the environment from their typically isolated safe houses. The network would designate these houses as temporary centres of operation.

Simultaneously, one of the clans was accountable for the collection of the stolen products and their shipment to Romania via parcel, where they were discovered, along with five financial assets.

They functioned as a duo. In the vehicle that approached the victims, a male was the driver, while the woman committed the crime.

The network frequently targeted elderly and vulnerable individuals in violent assaults that occurred near banks. Yet again, one member would remain in the vehicle, while the other would approach the victim with his face concealed by a mask, hat, and eyeglasses. The latter would employ any ruse to deceive and rob the victim.

The investigation commenced in Benidorm (Alicante), following a burglary in which a woman violently stole the jewellery the victim was wearing on her wrist.

Agents have since identified similar incidents across the nation, purportedly perpetrated by the same organisation. This organisation is composed of numerous family clans of Romanian descent, the majority of which are dedicated to the repetitive theft of high-end watches and jewellery.

The organisation’s ownership of numerous properties and high-end vehicles in their home nation was the result of money laundering from stolen assets throughout Europe, according to police.

The police were able to thwart a criminal campaign launched in Murcia by locating the residences of those under investigation in both countries.

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On Friday, Vicente Gutiérrez Sola, the Chief Commissioner of the Torrevieja Local Police, retrieved his possessions from the police station office and departed. He adhered to a ruling that was legally draughted by the Director General of Personnel, Rosana Narejos, resolved by the Councillor for Personnel, María José Ruiz, proposed by the Director General of the Police, Alejandro Morer, and signed by the Councillor Delegate for Police, Federico Alarcón. The resolution stated that he was 65 years old and that the law does not permit security force officers to serve beyond that age.

Superintendent Óscar Cartón has provisionally assumed the role of Local Police Chief. The City Council’s anticipation of an appeal from the affected party and its reluctance to make a definitive decision until it has legal certainty to do so is indicated by the fact that this is a provisional appointment, despite its intention to be permanent.

Yesterday, Gutiérrez Sola, who has a wealth of experience as a local police commander in the province, refrained from commenting on this agreement. He only observed that he was required to examine both the report prepared by the Department of Personnel and the one proposed by the Director General of Police.

Sources say that the former commissioner had sought to extend his duties for a few months beyond April 11th in 2024 in order to fulfil his 38-year and three-month contribution period and receive full pension benefits. This request was made in an internal communication.

The resolution was proposed by Morer, who was one of the two superintendents of the Local Police and second in command of the force until January 31st. He occupied a position below him on the organisational chart. As the director general, he now occupies a position that surpasses that of the former commissioner, serving as a conduit between the political and professional leadership of the Local Police. Gutiérrez, in reality, filed an appeal against Morer’s appointment as a senior official.

Compulsory retirements in Orihuela and Alicante

This change in the Torrevieja local police command structure is in line with comparable developments in larger cities, including Alicante and Orihuela, which are also under the control of the Popular Party. Recently, both Luis Barcala and Pepe Vegara, both from Orihuela, have adopted comparable resolutions and have provided administrative notice to those affected several months in advance. However, the latter will remain in office until after the summer, when they reach retirement age.

Nevertheless, the decree in Torrevieja has only provided Gutiérrez with four days to respond before his 65th birthday, which was on Friday, April 11th.

In 2010, the former chief of the Local Police assumed responsibility for the Torrevieja Local Police, which was then under the supervision of the Popular Party mayor, Pedro Hernández Mateo, and the general director of the area, Javier Mínguez. At that time, the arrivals of Mínguez and Gutiérrez were intended to achieve two objectives: first, to normalise the intricate internal situation within the Torrevieja local police force, which had been impacted by a plethora of workplace harassment cases and legal complaints against commanders for alleged irregularities in the performance of their duties; and second, to re-establish coordination with the civil guard, which had been tarnished by these cases for years. Gutiérrez succeeded in enhancing his relationship with the Guardia Civil, but his efforts did not have a significant impact on the internal dynamics of the force.

The governing team of the Popular Party and the police councillor, who appeared on Friday to provide a detailed account of the governing board’s agreements, have not disclosed any public information regarding the resolution that will retire the current Commissioner Gutiérrez Sola. This is a common occurrence in municipal administrations that are characterised by conflict. Unofficially, this follows the recent retirements of two high-ranking officials, in which Eduardo Dolón’s government denied the extension of their terms.

A general administration technician and a secretary general of the plenary session, both of whom had served for decades at Torrevieja City Council, expressly requested a delay in their retirement age. However, civil service legislation denied their request. The legality of certain resolutions adopted by Mayor Dolón was questioned or warned about by these two officials, whose reports were substantiated by legislation.

At present, the Torrevieja Local Police has 140 officers. In July, an additional 40 officers will be added, bringing the total number of officers to 180. This figure is in line with the anticipated number of officers in a city with a population exceeding 100,000.