A suspected hitman carrying two hand grenades has been intercepted on the A-7 near Mijas.
The 46-year-old was stopped by the toll booth while travelling in his vehicle, police sources said.
Investigators believe he intended to use the Yugoslav-made M50 and M52 grenades in a settling of scores between drug gangs.
Marbella and San Pedro de Alcantara were identified as possible locations for the planned attack.
The operation was carried out by Malaga’s Provincial Judicial Police Brigade.
It follows another grenade-related arrest in Mijas in October, when a 35-year-old Danish man was detained at a residential development after officers allegedly found a hand grenade among his belongings.
Local Police called in TEDAX explosives specialists to secure the device, with the Guardia Civil taking over the investigation.
The Danish suspect was provisionally released after appearing before a judge but remained under investigation for alleged possession of explosives.
The latest arrest adds to concerns about explosive weapons being used in conflicts between drug gangs on the Costa del Sol.
Chief Inspector Daniel Pascual, head of Group V of the Udyco organised crime and drugs unit, recently described the area as the ‘Champions League’ of organised crime.
The veteran investigator said the coast had become a refuge for international criminal groups, with officers working against the clock to prevent attacks.
He also described an operation in which his team foiled a murder plot involving hired killers and dismantled a gang using assault rifles.
