A MAN carrying a loaded semi-automatic pistol in a shoulder bag has been arrested by the Guardia Civil in Torrevieja.

Officers in July spotted two men- of undisclosed nationality- who started behaving suspiciously when they noticed the Guardia patrol and decided to leave the area.

They were stopped in an unnamed street and asked to show their identity documents.

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The Guardia Civil said in a statement that one of the duo showed ‘an obvious state of nervousness’ while looking for his identification in a shoulder bag.

Officers decided to inspect the bag and found a semi-automatic pistol inside.

The weapon had a magazine with thirteen rounds and another loaded in the chamber, so it was ready for immediate use.

In addition, part of the serial number had been scrubbed off, making it difficult to identify where it came from.

The Guardia found out that the man had no gun licence and subsequent checks revealed that the duo had prior records for the illegal possession of weapons and belonging to a criminal gang.

Officers searched an address where a second magazine of ammunition was seized along with a fake foreign identity card.

The man who carried the pìstol in his shoulder bag was brought before a Torrevieja court to face charges of illegally possessing a weapon, document forgery, and membership of a criminal organisation.

His colleague was released by the Guardia once his identity was verified, but he remains under investigation.
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