International organisation which sold Portuguese driving licences obtained with fake documents

Joint operation by police in Spain and Portugal has broken up an international organisation which sold Portuguese driving licences obtained with fake documents, selling each for an average of 1,500 €. Their main clients were eastern Europeans who, the Interior Ministry said, often bought HGV licences in this way and then went on to obtain their licence to transport goods.It’s understood the network made weekly trips from their Torrevieja base to Portugal to apply for the driving licences, and is believed to have earned income of of up to 300,000 €.The network also obtained Portuguese residence permits for their clients through marriages of convenience, charging up to 5,000 € for this service. The marriage certificates were used, along with false employment contracts, in order to obtain legal residency in Portugal.18 people are in custody.

Ex Mayor of the town, Julián Muñoz faces 16 years in prison

Judge in Instruction Court 1 in Marbella, on Monday told the ex Mayor of the town, Julián Muñoz, that the oral case referred to as Minutas is about to get underway.
The case is about alleged irregularities in the invoices paid by the Marbella Ayuntamiento for legal services supplied by the Sevilla lawyer, José María Del Nido. He has also been called to declare as have 15 other people, including Juan Antonio Roca, the ex Marbella real estate assessor who is at the centre of the other case, Malaya.Julián Muñoz faces seven charges in the case – illicit association, continued irregularities, fraud, continued misuse of funds, company crimes, disloyal administration and the misuse of items such as furniture. Del Nido faces similar charges in the case which alleges that he issued inflated factures to the Town Hall and shared the benefits with those involved. The prosecutor has asked for a total of 16 years in prison for Muñoz while Del Nido faces a possible 12 years inside.

Costa del Sol suffering a shortage of hire cars

Despite the concerns of a less successful summer this year on the Costa del Sol, Diario Sur reports that the region is currently suffering a shortage of hire cars.
Demand has overtaken supply as some companies have reduced the numbers in their fleets this season, following the refusal of some banks to grant credits for new vehicles. Some companies have purchased second-hand vehicles instead according to the report, and reports that they have no cars available until August. As you might expect the law of supply and demand indicates that prices have risen in some cases.
In Málaga there are more than 200 rent a car companies with a stock estimated at some 40,000.

Search off the Málaga coast for Noelia Pérez Perez

extensive search off the Málaga coast for a woman who disappeared while jet skiing off the coast of Benalmádena on Monday night. The 24 year old, who Diario Sur reports works in a bar in Puerto Marina and has been named as Noelia Pérez Perez, from Vizcaya, had set off with a group of friends from Benalmádena on Monday afternoon with four jet skis and a yacht. The alarm was raised at around 10 on Monday when only 3 of the jet skis returned to shore.The other occupant of the missing jet ski was picked up by a passing ship at around 2.30am on Tuesday, some 4 kms off the south eastern shore of Benalmádena. He is understood to have said he lost sight of his friend after they lost control of the machine and tumbled into the sea.The search is covering the area of coast from Mijas as far as Rincón de la Victoria.

Construction levels in Málaga province continue in free-fall

Construction levels in Málaga province continue in free-fall with the latest data from the Architects College for this year showing an average fall of about 65% compared to last.In Manilva 90% fewer houses are being built than last year, with the reduction in Estepona, Benalmádena and Fuengirola down by 80%. For example in Benalmádena only 43 homes were started in the first six months of the year. In Marbella that number was 129 flats, a number 73% lower than a year ago.The only town on the western or eastern Costa del Sol to see a recovery is Torremolinos, where 420 homes have been started so far this year, 12% more than for the same period in 2008.

Robert Patrick A. caused injury to the Spanish actor Miki Molina in an attack

Robert Patrick A. caused injury to the Spanish actor Miki Molina in the attack and also has to pay him 5,140 € in compensation.However the Spaniard has also been found guilty of causing damage after getting into the fight with the Briton, and ordered to pay him 2,625 €, and it was only the then girlfriend of Molina who managed to calm the situation. The Spanish actor almost drove off a cliff in his attempt to escape from the Briton.The court heard how the Briton had sounded his horn in an attempt to get past Molina in heavy traffic, but the actor had blocked his move and, according to the court documents got out of his car ‘in an aggressive and violent attitude’ and asked the Briton if he was crazy. The Briton stayed in his car with the windows up and noted how the Spaniard tried unsuccessfully to break his windscreen. He then turned his attention to the Briton’s boot, armed with a bottle.
The Briton then got out of the car only to find the bottle thrown at his feet, and the Briton replied by cutting the Spaniard’s face with an ‘unidentified shiny object’. The Briton disputed that point thinking the Spaniard probably cut himself with glass from the bottle. The fight continued and then turned into a car chase with Molina finally driving off the road and needing hospital treatment after his car was rescued by a tow truck.The actor told the court his injuries meant he could not finish the film he was working on, and a double had to be used for the hands of the pianist he was playing.

local bylaws affecting beaches around the coasts

Spain’s beaches as busy as ever, there are signs of change in a country where previously, after the suppression of the Franco years, anything goes.
Now there are a growing number of local bylaws affecting beaches around the coasts. In Almuñecar the siesta is sacred as those who play music, live or on the radio face a fine.In A Coruña if you ignore the red and other warning flags be prepared to face a 500 € fine as well.Despite being in the open air, smoking is banned on the beach at L’Escala in Girona, and the banning of sex on the beach, along with stag nights and hen parties has proved unpopular with many in Tossa de Mar.In Valencia expect a fine if your sunshade is less than six metres from the sea, or if you are caught drinking alcohol.I’ll let you decide if this is part of a general moral crackdown, or just local town halls trying to raise funds in financially troubled times.

prostitutes claim to be 18, but are no older than 17, with some even as young as 15.

Málaga City Hall is reported to be working on setting up a network of CCTV cameras on the Guadalhorce industrial estate in a bid to protect underage girls from sexual exploitation. Público reports that some of the women who work there as prostitutes claim to be 18, but are no older than 17, with some even as young as 15. They are said to be mainly from Sub-Saharan Africa and eastern Europe and can earn their bosses up to 3,000 € a week, compared to the 700 € they would be able to bring in by begging on the streets.