Los Alcázares

In Spain, powerful investigating judges lead the way in investigating corruption. They have extensive powers and can imprison anyone they wish to interview. Also involved are the National Police and Guardia Civil who have specialist units that the judges make use of. Money laundering is a prime concern. One big problem for criminals is explaining how they came by their wealth. Washing the cash through seemingly-legitimate enterprises allows it to be used safely. The investigating judges in the Los Alcázares and Totana cases are continuing their work and calling in more and more people for examination. Some are released afterwards and others are released but only on bail. No charges have been brought at this stage so no-one can formally plead either innocence or guilt. Many local people in the two towns are outraged at the investigations. Buses have been used in Totana to take supporters to demonstrations in support of their mayor and in Los Alcázares there were loud shouts of support for the ex-mayor when he was released from custody after being examined. Citizens complain that their communities are being slandered and damaged by the allegations and massive publicity. The case at Los Alcázares is known as Operation Ninette.The investigation is looking into suspicions that transactions in the town relating to property development have been corrupt, with bribery, money laundering and other offences being involved. The former mayor, Juan Escudro, was held in the cells of the National Police station at Cartagena while he was questioned.

Also arrested was the ex-secretary of the Municipal Council, Diego Sánchez Gómez. He has been released on bail. His son is also under investigation.The municipal architect, Mariano Ayuso, is now in prison and answering questions. Two prominent local businessmen are also in prison. There are strong family relationships between some of those being investigated. One woman is suspected of being a front person and she is the second cousin of the ex-mayor and sister in law of the municipal architect. The suspicions are that Juan Antonio Roca had strong links with people in the Los Alcázares town hall, through a company controlled by him. One case that is drawing particular attention involves a plot of rural land known as La Dorada. The town hall reclassified its use and it then passed into the hands of a company which later sold it to another company. In the process the value of the land increased in a few months from 742,000 euros to an estimated two million euros. Other major developments in the area are suspected to be involved with Roca, who is a native of Cartagena and who has a large home in the Los Alcázares area. The corruption investigations involving him in Marbella are still continuing. The Totana case, known as Operation Totem, became public a short time before investigators swooped at Los Alcázares. At Totana the current mayor, José Martínez, is sitting in prison while another investigating judge continues with his work. The former mayor of Totana, and current Regional Assembly Deputy, Juan Morales, is also being questioned.

A prominent local businessman and more than a dozen other people have been interviewed, including the secretary of the Totana town hall and the chief of police. There has been no suggestion of any link between the investigations going on at Totana and the Marbella case. Again, development rights are the prime issue. One aspect is the wish of a company to have re-classified some 2.2 million square meters of rural land for the construction of 5,040 houses. Meanwhile, other investigations into possible wrong doings are taking place at the Murcia towns of Torre Pacheco and Fuente Alamo. In both cases large amounts of documents have been seized and investigations are continuing. Those involved deny any wrongdoing. Near Águilas, a high-profile case involving land at La Zerrichera, is continuing to unfold. This major development was approved by the local town hall despite being in an area protected on environmental grounds and which is a major European bird reserve. Thousands of houses were planned together with golf courses and all the usual urbanisation facilities. The development came to a grinding halt, however, when higher authorities became involved. Just how the plans were approved in the first place is now the subject of detailed investigations. Again, all concerned deny any wrongdoing.