The stepson of Marbella mayor Angeles Muñoz has been sentenced to nine years in prison after Spain’s National Court found him guilty of drug trafficking and money laundering.

Joakim Broberg was also ordered to pay a €4.9million fine following a major trial involving an international drugs network accused of smuggling cannabis and hashish from Spain to northern Europe.

The ruling was handed down by the Audiencia Nacional, which convicted 21 of the 24 defendants who stood trial on charges including drug trafficking, money laundering and involvement in organised crime.

Smuggling drugs to Sweden

According to the court, the criminal network – made up largely of Swedish nationals – was involved in trafficking large quantities of marijuana and hashish, as well as laundering the proceeds from the illegal trade.

Investigators had alleged that Broberg was one of the leading figures in a group responsible for shipping drugs from southern Spain to northern Europe, particularly Sweden.

The court found that he had participated ‘in a stable and permanent manner’ in the trafficking of marijuana and hashish.

However, judges acquitted him of belonging to a criminal organisation, ruling that the evidence did not prove he was a permanent member of the wider network beyond his involvement in specific drug trafficking activities.

Gang leader receives 16-year sentence

The longest prison sentence – 16 years – was handed to Ivan Cicak, whom judges identified as the leader of the organisation.

According to the ruling, Cicak coordinated drug shipments, handled payments from buyers and organised the distribution of money among members of the network.

Hundreds of kilos of drugs seized

The investigation uncovered several major drug shipments, including:

• 244kg of marijuana seized from a warehouse in San Pedro de Alcantara, with an estimated street value of more than €415,000.
• 550kg of hashish intercepted off the coast of Granada, valued at more than €919,000.
• Nearly 28kg of compressed hashish resin, worth around €46,000.
• Additional transactions involving the sale of marijuana.

The case is one of the most high-profile organised crime prosecutions linked to the Costa del Sol in recent years because of Broberg’s family connection to Marbella’s long-serving mayor.

There is no suggestion in the judgment that Angeles Muñoz was involved in the offences for which her stepson was convicted.

Read more Andalucia news at the Spanish Eye.