A serving police officer has been arrested over an alleged cocaine trafficking ring on the Costa del Sol.
The Policia Local officer is one of eight people to be investigated after officers uncovered 20kg of the drug and two firearms.
The probe, led by the special UDYCO unit in Torremolinos, concluded several weeks ago after months of surveillance targeting what detectives believe was a cocaine-distribution network linked to a notorious clan in Malaga city.
According to police sources, various property raids uncovered the cocaine packaged in bricks, along with a semi-automatic submachine gun and a pistol, plus assorted ammunition.
Officers also seized a significant amount of cash, multiple vehicles, mobile phones and a range of tools commonly used for low-level drug distribution, such as precision scales.
Police sources say the eight suspects were arrested on allegations of drug trafficking, membership of a criminal organisation, illegal possession of weapons, money laundering and extortion.
Judicial sources said the investigation is centred on a single offence against public health, with further charges expected.
Three of the detainees, including the policeman, have been ordered into prison custody. The remaining five have been released but remain under formal investigation.
It comes just days after it was revealed that a Marbella police officer was arrested for allegedly faking an arrest against a businessman in a bid to steal thousands of euros from him.
The unnamed suspect is being investigated alongside a former police colleague and a third man for violent robbery.
According to sources cited by La Opinion de Malaga, the arrests were made several months ago, but details have only been released now.
The incident happened on November 17 last year, when a Chinese businessman was attacked in the Cruz de Humilladero district of Malaga city, as he walked to a salon for a haircut.
Three men approached him claiming to be police officers, wearing clothing and badges that convincingly resembled official uniforms.
They beat him and attempted to force him into a vehicle under the pretence of an arrest. Although they failed to bundle him inside, they managed to steal his bag containing around €4,000 in cash.
Detectives in Malaga spent months identifying the alleged perpetrators, who are all residents of Marbella.
Investigators believe the trio selected the businessman deliberately and monitored his movements for a period of time, suspecting he regularly carried large amounts of cash.
Police raids at the suspects’ homes uncovered a real firearm, two blank-firing pistols, ammunition and equipment used to impersonate police officers, including a tactical vest, replica police badges and communication devices.
Officers also seized GPS tracking beacons, which they believe were used to monitor the vehicles of their intended targets.
The investigation continues.
Read more Costa del Sol news at the Spanish Eye.
