A 21-YEAR-OLD Russian man has been arrested by the Guardia Civil for running a ‘protection racket’ involving various shop owners in the Torrevieja area.

He has been jailed by a Torrevieja judge after being charged with robbery with violence and intimidation, extortion, and car theft.

Clients were threatened by intimidating messages and the man’s alleged links to East European mafia gangs.

GUARDIA BARRACKS, TORREVIEJA

Victims were so scared that would not initially cooperate with the Guardia investigation in fear of reprisals or damage to their businesses.

Uniformed Guardia officers increased their presence and held meetings as well making individual contact with local shopkeepers.

They built up enough trust for several victims to eventually collaborate with the investigators, which allowed significant progress in building up a pìcture of the Russian’s criminal activities.

The Guardia Civil discovered that he popped up at various businesses to talk to owners and offered protection in return for regular payments.

ARRESTED MAN AT STORE

Pressure was ramped up on his targets as he made claims that he had associates within notorious East European criminal organisations.

One incident happened on April 4 when he entered a store and stole items which he demanded from an employee.

He also rifled his way through a till and made various threats if the police were called.

Over a fortnight later, he extorted a business owner by stealing his car and then demanding a payment if he wanted his vehicle back.

The Guardia Civil says that the investigation is still open to see if there were other victims and if the detained Russian had help from other people

It’s also appealed for traders to always come forward with reports of incidents involving threats, coercion or extortion.
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An INVESTIGATION into a Horta Nord football club opened surrounding rumors of the teenage team’s victory party hosting strippers and alcohol.

A football club in Valencia is facing backlash after their youth championship was celebrated in an alleged risque display. 

The Bonrepos i Mirambell team’s league victory was celebrated on May 17 with an organised dinner. 

Parents and the underage team members ranging between the ages of 16-18 gathered to applaud the win and achieved promotion at the municipal facilities. 

It has been alleged that alcohol and several strippers were present at the event planned for the minor athletes. 

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Sources close to the club have claimed that the idea came from the coach and was carried out by both the club director and sports manager. 

The so-called ‘erotic show’ was held as a reward for the players. 

However, the sporting director has denied any knowledge of the illicit event being planned. 

In an interview with El Dario, the Valencian club’s sporting director claimed he ‘did not authorise the performance,’ nor did he attend or know it was going to take place. 

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Additional statements by the club’s management team assert that the incident is ‘absolutely incompatible with the sporting, educational, and respectful values that should govern any activity involving minors.’ 

Several board members of the club have supposedly stepped down following the accusations. 

Other allegations have surfaced that the party was originally meant to take place at the home of one of the performers, before deciding on holding it at the official sports centre. 

An internal investigation by the Public Prosecutor’s Office has begun to determine who is responsible for the explicit incident. 

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This is not the first time the club has been criticised for issues such as sexism and degrading practices. 

Members of the women’s football teams have expressed receiving comments such as ‘they play badly’ and ‘they’re all lesbians.’ 

The women’s team has also pointed to a lack of resources for their players. 

Some parents have outright stopped bringing their children to the football club. 

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The Valencian club has said it will cooperate with the authorities and City Council regarding the allegations against them.

Spanish law considers any person under 18 as a child, and ‘always has the protection derived from its status as a minor.’

Children and young people under 18 are also prohibited from being in a ‘dangerous place,’ which includes areas with pornographic or violent performances and prostitution areas.

A parent or guardian who accompanies or allows their child to attend these types of spaces they risk being accused of a crime or losing guardianship.
Click here to read more Spain News from The Olive Press.

A BRITISH couple have been arrested at Alicante-Elche airport over the 2024 shooting of a fellow national in the Mar Menor.

The Guardia Civil said they were members of a ‘violent criminal gang’ from the UK who travelled to the Murcia coast to find and kill their target.

The victim, named as Aaron, and aged 27 years in November 2024, was shot four times in the back outside his home in the Santiago de la Ribera area of San Javier.

CRIME SCENE, NOV 2024

Neighbours on Calle Alferez Moreno said that he had ‘problems with a mafia’ and some suggested that he was in hiding.

He spent several months recovering in Murcia’s Virgen de la Arrixaca hospital and has been left with some permanent injuries.

It was feared at the time that he might never be able to walk again.

The detained couple were arrested separately at Alicante-Elche airport.

The Guardia Civil said they had worked with their UK counterparts for some time to exchange information to catch the assailants.

The man was detained by the Guardia at an airport security control in April and had tickets for a flight to Edinburgh.

A fortnight later in May, the second suspect was arrested after she arrived in Spain.

The Guardia Civil’s ‘Operation Esbroya’ remains active.

It was launched after officers recovered four shell casings from the crime scene at Santiago de la Ribera.

An hour later, a burning car was discovered between San Javier and Los Narejos.

The vehicle matched witness descriptions and was later found to have been stolen, with false number plates.

Officers then went to a residential development outside Mazarron, when the next day, they found a high-end UK-registered vehicle.

A search of the car uncovered a gun with a silencer, a loaded magazine, a black balaclava, gloves and clothing matching that were worn by the gunman.

Forensic experts later confirmed that the gun was used in the shooting, while DNA recovered from the balaclava, gloves and other seized clothing helped the Guardia to identify two suspects.

The duo had criminal records in the UK linked to organised crime, violent offences and drug trafficking.

Both face charges for attempted murder and the illegal possession of weapons.
Click here to read more Costa Blanca News from The Olive Press.