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Having invested so much in the still unfinished projects, developers were being faced with disaster as the banks tried to recoup these funding loans. Also the once fruitful sales market crumbled with the end to the cheap mortgages and those who had already bought found themselves in trouble as interest rates rose. A second problem was the weakening pound against the Euro. This exchange rate crash removed one third from the value of any funds brought over from the UK, including pensions. With that and the increase in interest rates a great many were no longer able to keep up their mortgage payments and watched with horror as the Banks moved in.Foreclosures and repossessions are on the rise throughout the Costas. With countless thousands of unsold Apartments and Villas sitting empty the rental market has followed the sales crash. It is now a buyers market through and through. With foreclosures getting ever closer, countless owners are desperately trying to unload their properties at a fraction of their normal value. Now with the risk so great there are few prepared to buy. That leaves the door open to investors in this new marketplace – 

mans body, thought to be about 65 years old, was found in the boot of a car in Marbella

 mans body, thought to be about 65 years old, was found in the boot of a car in Marbella on Friday after police were alerted by a member of the public who noticed the strong smell coming from the vehicle which was parked in Nueva Andalucía.The car was a Renault Laguna belonging to a resident of Coín who reported it stolen at the start of the year.A statement from the provincial police station said that the body showed ‘signs of extreme violence’ and was in an advanced state of decomposition. Marbella police are continuing with their investigations, and are still to identify the victim.

top end of the hotel market which has suffered over the past year

Hotel occupancy on the Costa del Sol is forecast to reach 70% over Easter.
Hotels on the Costa del Sol have lost 16% or 2,205 of their jobs, in the past year. As the tourism industry prepares to meet the first main test of the new season over Easter, some workers from the hotel sector took to the streets last Friday to demonstrate about the loss of jobs in the sector.Unions say there is no justification for the reduction in jobs, while the Regional Councillor for Tourism, Luciano Alonso, has called on ‘speculators’ to leave the industry.It’s been the top end of the hotel market which has suffered over the past year, with the closure of Los Monteros and Las Dunas as well as those under change of ownership or under bankruptcy offer, such as the two Guadalpin Hotels in Marbella, the Byblos, Incosol and Torrequebrada.Meanwhile the Junta de Andalucía insists that the beaches are ready for the arrival of the tourists. Work to clean 51 beaches over 75 kms of coastline in Málaga province alone is now completed. 45,000 square metres of flotsam and jetsam was removed, much of it wood carried downstream from the local rivers.

armed gang of masked men raided a casino packed with about 600 guests early Sunday and made off with hundreds of thousands of dollars

armed gang of masked men raided a casino packed with about 600 guests early Sunday and made off with hundreds of thousands of dollars, according to Swiss prosecutors.In a statement, prosecutors in Basel described a scene like an action-film heist: About 10 men dressed in black arrived in two cars at the Grand Casino near Basel shortly after 4:00 a.m.One smashed the front door with a sledgehammer, and the others ran inside with machine guns and pistols, the statement said. Speaking French, a group of men ordered the guests and employees to the floor, while their accomplices emptied registers in the basement and an upper floor, it said.They couldn't get into the strong room, despite shooting at the locked door, prosecutors said."The criminals fired a number of shots, but luckily no one was hit," said the statement.It said some guests and one security guard were lightly injured from being hit or stepped on, and that Swiss and French police were trying to track down the men.Swiss police said the men fled the casino quickly, driving away in two silver Audis with French license plates.A woman who accidentally drove between the two getaway cars and blocked the casino's exit was pulled from her vehicle and beaten, police said. They said it was possible that the men fired a shot at another car during their high-speed escape.The Grand Casino is located little more than 200 meters from Switzerland's border with France.The men made off with "several hundreds of thousands" of francs (dollars), police said.The incident recalls a brazen raid March 6 on a poker tournament at a downtown hotel in Berlin. In that heist, attackers armed with a revolver and a machete made off with euro240,000 ($320,000) in jackpot money.German authorities say they have arrested five suspects.

Read more: http://www.sunherald.com/2010/03/28/2058109/armed-gang-raids-swiss-casino.html#ixzz0jZ1cEfNU

Spanish police, working with their British counterparts, last week raided a flat and garage, and seized a Bentley Continental, a Ferrari and a Maserati, along with a false British passport.

Thirteen alleged members of a British gang that carried out Europe’s biggest “boiler room” fraud have been arrested.

The gang swindled at least £20 million out of victims by persuading them to buy shares in a company that had never traded. Police traced at least 80 victims, but believe the gang cheated hundreds.

The alleged leader was known to operate from Barcelona, a location favoured by boiler-rooms, so called because of the pressure to sell. Ambitious young people are promised what appear to be glamorous jobs in Spain selling shares, but soon realise they are working for fraudsters.

A 28-year-old Briton, said to be the head of the gang, was arrested in Sweden on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud and conspiracy to launder money. City of London detectives arrested eleven other people in Northumbria and one in Manchester.Spanish police, working with their British counterparts, last week raided a flat and garage, and seized a Bentley Continental, a Ferrari and a Maserati, along with a false British passport.

All those arrested in Britain have been released on bail. The 28-year-old is understood to have been extradited to the UK.

British police have frozen bank accounts and seized sports cars in the UK, Spain and Sweden.

The investigation is centred on a company called BFS Corporation, which has a registered address in Mayfair, London, but which has never traded.

The gang is said to have targeted investors accustomed to gambling on the stock market, promising large returns. They were repeatedly telephoned by the fraudsters, who claimed their investments were doing well and asked them to invest more.

Detective Chief Superintendent Steve Head, from the City of London Police Economic Crime Directorate, said: “We believe this is one of Europe’s largest boiler room frauds, with hundreds of people having lost a combined total that runs into millions of pounds.” The arrests in the UK happened in December but the raids by Spanish police were carried out last week.

A City of London Police source said: “Spain is a particular problem for us with regard to these boiler room frauds. People are lured to work in places like Barcelona with jobs that seem at first to be legitimate but when they realise they are not, they just carry on, attracted by the lifestyle.”

Today, the first person to be extradited from Spain to the UK for a boiler room fraud will be sentenced over an unconnected case. Thomas Knudsen, 30, from Denmark will appear before Croydon Crown Court. 

concept behind DDG World Retreat is unique to Europe

Located in Casares on Spain's legendary Costa del Sol region, this highly private retreat enables guests to truly unplug and unwind without a care for doing anything other than what their hearts desire."The concept behind DDG World Retreat is unique to Europe. The mission of the retreat is to provide guests with an easy-to-reach destination where they can enjoy a true holistic break, recuperate and take in activities of their own choosing" said Daria Dubinin of DDG World. The retreat features private bungalows nestled in the mountains overlooking Malaga, Spain. Designed to offer something for everyone, the retreat is ideal for nature and privacy lovers, yoga and pilates fans, those who want to shed a few pounds and cleanse the mind, body and spirit or simply for those who wish to getaway to a spa for a weekend for pampering in a stunning setting.

"We felt that there was nothing in the way of an exclusive retreat here on the Costa del Sol where people could come and detox, de-stress and generally escape to a secluded haven for peace and tranquilit," explained Daria.

To make sure stress doesn't go along with the booking or travel process, DDG World has paid close attention to the details to make it easy on guests. The location was selected not only for its natural beauty and seclusion, but also because it is easy to reach via budget airlines flying out of major European cities each and every day. The booking process includes a wide variety of packages, which means guests can pick and choose the activities that suit them. Also, there are no set arrival, departure or length-of-stay restrictions.
While the location, privacy and luxury of DDG World Retreat make it stand out, its services make it even more special. The retreat features a rare collection of services under the same roof, including bike riding, horseback riding, yoga and pilates sessions and spa treatments. It also boasts a number of amenities like an infinity pool, tennis courts, a steam room, gym and even strategically placed hammocks for soaking up the scenery while taking in a good book."We wanted to offer a different option to those looking to escape from the stresses and strains of everyday life," said Daria. "Instead of just another hotel or holiday resort, we wanted to create a totally new experience for those looking to get their lives back on track and cleanse the mind and body in a tranquil, serene and private environment."DDG World Retreat also offers gift vouchers so getaways can easily be given to loved ones. The mix-and-match menu listing of activities makes it simple to tailor a retreat to personal tastes, which makes this vacation destination ideal for giving and receiving.

Spanish women entering prostitution for the first time, more of them are locals, as well as Nigerians, Romanians, Moroccans and Senegalese, most of them aged between 20 and 30.

Andalucian Association for Human Rights (APDHA) in Almeria has reported that more women are becoming prostitutes due to the economic crisis. The association attends more than 500 women in their Attention and Sanitary Mediation Programme for Women in Prostitution. They have seen that there are more women entering prostitution for the first time, and more of them are locals, as well as Nigerians, Romanians, Moroccans and Senegalese, most of them aged between 20 and 30.

arrested four alleged drugs traffickers after they discovered a boat carrying 3,505 kilograms of hashish

 Guardia Civl arrested four alleged drugs traffickers after they discovered a boat carrying 3,505 kilograms of hashish near Cabopino in Marbella. The huge bust occurred after officers were alerted to a suspicious vehicle near the beach whose driver was heading to the coast to help unload the boat which had just arrived.

shot a 22-year-old Spanish man in an attempt to arrest him for his alleged robbery of baby store Moncayo in Malaga

 shot a 22-year-old Spanish man in an attempt to arrest him for his alleged robbery of baby store Moncayo in Malaga. Events unfolded on March 18 at around 1,30 am when the Policia Local received a call alerting them to the robbery. On arrival of the police, one man fled and got away.Another man was caught by a policeman, whereby a struggle took place and culminated in the suspect being shot in the arm. The policeman claims it was an accident.The suspect, who has a criminal record and a violent background, was treated at Carlos Haya Hospital.

70-year diplomat was knocked to the ground by the driver of a car with British number plates, who then fled the scene.

Claude de Hennin de Boussu Walcourt said the hit-and-run incident came after he warned the mother of a small boy that it was not safe he went away and went inside but when he emerged later a man approached with a dog on a lead. "He began to shout insults in English and threatened violence. It was horrible," said the honorary consul, who has lived in Mijas, near Malaga, for 41 years.A consular staff member saw the altercation and called police. But before they could arrived the man got into a car."The man was in his forties, about 5'9" and strongly built," Mr de Hennin described the man to police."He got into a car with British number plates and when I tried to get him to wait until the local Civil Guard arrived, he drove at me and knocked me over."The diplomat suffered bruises to his leg and right arm and was treated at a local clinic.

two Dutchmen, aged 31 and 41, and named only as D.W.M.D and E.L were apprehended and have been arrested after 2,660 kilos of hashish were seized by the Guardia Civil in Puerto Banus and Estepona.

two Dutchmen, aged 31 and 41, and named only as D.W.M.D and E.L were apprehended and have been arrested after 2,660 kilos of hashish were seized by the Guardia Civil in Puerto Banus and Estepona. The men face now face charges and the two boats – which were intercepted last Friday – have been impounded.
Some 150 bails of hashish weighing 1,320 kilos were found on board a boat in Puerto Banus. And four hours later, a sniffer dog discovered a slightly larger amount stashed in the false bottom of a boat in Estepona.



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Spanish police announced the arrest of about 80 reputed mobsters

Spanish police announced the arrest of about 80 reputed mobsters across Europe last week, many media reports trumpeted the development as the latest crackdown on the Russian mafia.
But soon the reporting shifted and introduced a hitherto little-noticed phenomenon in the West: the Georgian mafia.
The leader of the organized crime group's Spanish operations was identified as Khaber, or Kakhaber, Shushanashvili, and the gang was said to be in contact with convicted Georgian crime boss Zakhar Kalashov, who has been imprisoned in Spain since 2006.
Austria reported the biggest number of arrests — 25, including prominent reputed Georgian mobster Zaal Makharoblidze. The gang, made up mostly of asylum seekers, was responsible for 30 percent of a recent spate in burglaries in Vienna, said Franz Lang, director of Austria's Federal Criminal Investigation Office.
 Russian media were quick to notice the change.
"The Russian mafia turned out to be Georgian," read a headline in the Trud mass-circulation daily.
Russia Today, the state-controlled English-language television channel, suggested a lapse in Western reporting.
"Initial reports suggested that those detained belonged to the so-called Russian mafia, as people of former Soviet states are often mistakenly referred to as Russian in the West," a presenter said in a March 15 news broadcast.
 Dmitry Rogozin, Moscow's outspoken representative to NATO, said the reports reflected a deep bias. "Apparently for the Western media Georgia is always a good thing and Russia is always a bad thing," he wrote in his Twitter blog.
 The Russian-Georgian divide has been especially bitter since the two countries fought over South Ossetia in 2008, a war in which Russian officials accused Western reporters of siding with Georgia.
But the mafia stereotyping is also deplored by some Western journalists. "I think there is a lot of prejudice and a great deal of inappropriate use" of the term "Russian mafia," said Pilar Bonet, Moscow bureau chief of the El Pais daily. "I really recommend that the Russian ambassador to Spain protests and even goes to court when this happens."
Russian officials have long criticized Western crime reports about Russians. Timur Lakhonin, head of the Interior Ministry's Interpol section, said in December that the whole concept of a Russian mafia was nothing but a myth. "There is no data showing any existing organized crime structures that consist of former Russian citizens," he told reporters.
Yet Georgian officials also frown at the notion of putting blame on their country.
Georgi Kandelaki, deputy head of the Georgian parliament's international affairs committee, said the whole dispute was pointless.
"The fact that they caught Georgian criminals operating abroad shows that the [criminals] have no way of operating in Georgia," he told The Moscow Times on Sunday.
Kandelaki added that organized crime from his country is the most vibrant in Russia. "Look at the Georgian thieves-in-law — their number in Georgia is close to zero and most of them are in Moscow," he said.
So-called thieves-in-law are a fraternity of criminals that maintains its own code of behavior, laws, courts, leaders and initiation rites and that disdains any institution other than its own.
In fact, captured Georgian thieves-in-law have surfaced in national media reports recently. On Friday, Interfax reported that the Moscow police had arrested Merab Gogia, a 56-year-old suspected mobster, on suspicion of selling illegal drugs.
Speculation has also been mounting that Moscow might extradite Tariel Oniani, an ethnic Georgian believed to be one of Russia's most powerful mobsters, to Spanish authorities. Oniani was arrested during a dramatic helicopter raid outside Moscow in July 2008 as dozens of reputed crime bosses gathered on a yacht to settle a rift.
Spain has reportedly requested Oniani's extradition, along with three other suspects, Leon Lann, Konstantin Manukyan and Vladimir Tyurin.
A Spanish Embassy spokesman said Friday that he would not comment on extradition issues.
Yevgeny Vyshenkov, a former police detective and organized crime expert at the St. Petersburg-based Agency of Journalistic Investigations, said issues like ethnicity and citizenship matter little in a global problem like organized crime. What is important is where mobsters decide to operate, he said.
"Most of them live in Russia, mainly in Moscow, and have their have assets in the capital," Vyshenkov said.

king and queen of Spain attended the opening ceremony of a new, third terminal called "Pablo Ruiz Picasso" at Málaga airport

king and queen of Spain attended the opening ceremony of a new, third terminal called "Pablo Ruiz Picasso" at Málaga airport last Monday.  This, in the words of the city’s mayor, is expected to “take the airport closer to being a national and international reference point.” Málaga is one of Spain’s most popular destinations for tourists, giving access to the beaches of the southern Costa del Sol coastline.
In his speech, the King emphasized the importance of the building of this infrastructure, which "extends beyond the region and should fill us with pride.”   His Majesty went on to say, "This hard work has resulted in the projected image of Spain as a modern and dynamic country, endowed with an efficient transport network.”
Juan Carlos had some kind words for the citizens of the Autonomous Communities of Andalusia, Canary Islands and Catalonia affected by storms. The King regretted the harm suffered, not only in housing and infrastructure but also in the various productive sectors, and wished his greatest sympathy and support to the victims.
The new terminal T-3, designed by architect Bruce S. Fairbanks, with an area of 250,000 square meters, is connected to the current area, generating a total area of 385,000 square meters. It will have the capacity to serve 9,000 passengers per hour, over 180 check-in desks and 48 gate airbridges -26 of which will be able to handle baggage at one time, to serve 30 million passengers per year. ACCIONA Infrastructure built the car park, provisional accesses and the bus station, at an investment of 102,8 million euros.
Through a transport interchange, passengers will have access to buses, taxis, rental cars and the new station and the suburban railway line in Malaga-Fuengirola.  A high-speed AVE is in the planning too.
The new terminal is part of a Master Plan, which includes building a second runway, a new control tower, expansion of the platforms for aircraft parking and review, with an area specially designed for the Airbus A380, a new parking and improved access.
Upon arrival, Don Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia were greeted by the president of the Junta de Andalucía, José Antonio Griñán, Development Minister, Jose Blanco, the government delegate in the autonomous community of Andalusia, Juan Jose Lopez Garzon, Mayor of Málaga, Francisco de la Torre, Secretary of State for Transport, María Concepción Gutiérrez, and President of AENA, Juan Ignacio Lema. Next, the Kings were hailed by the directors of Public Works and Transport, Tourism, Trade and Sport, and Culture of the Andalusian, Rosa Aguilar, Luciano Alonso and Rosa Torres, respectively, the mayor Alhaurin de la Torre, Joaquín Villanova, Ferrovial Chairman Rafael del Pino, President of Adviser of Chambers of Commerce, Javier Gomez Navarro, former Development Minister Magdalena Alvarez, the director of Spanish airports, Javier Marin, and director of Malaga Airport.
Their Majesties uncovered a plaque commemorating the inauguration and toured the shopping and the shipping dock of the new terminal, accompanied by architect Bruce Fairbanks

Spanish actor Antonio Banderas was appointed United Nations goodwill ambassador

Spanish actor Antonio Banderas was appointed United Nations goodwill ambassador on Wednesday to help in the global fight against poverty, empowerment of women and protection of the environment. The goals set by the UN Development Programme (UNDP), which selected Banderas, were announced by administrator Helen Clark. Banderas will also highlight other causes such as fighting diseases like AIDS, illiteracy and universal education for young children.
Those goals were outlined in a 2000 programme known as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which governments are urged to implement by 2015.
"UNDP is pleased to have Antonio join our group of goodwill ambassadors," Clark said. "His proven commitment to the causes of the less fortunate makes him an ideal advocate for our work."
Banderas said: "Poverty robs us of our potential as a people, preventing us from being all that we can be."
"This is why it is so important to mobilize all of our efforts to defeat it, especially if today we have the knowledge, the tools and the resources to do it."
Banderas said he would work with UNDP to spur action at all levels of society in pursuit of the MDGs, with a particular focus on Africa and Latin America.
The MDGs are backed by a fund established by the Spanish government, which donated 710 million dollars. The fund supports actions by governments and civil society to combat poverty and gender inequality.
UNDP, which disbursed more than 1 billion dollars to development projects in poor countries, and other UN agencies have been relying on world celebrities to propagate UN programmes. UNDP's previous goodwill ambassadors include football champions Didier Drogba, Ronaldo and Zinedine Zidane, tennis star Maria Sharapova, Japanese actress Misako Kono and Crown Prince Khaakon Magnus of Norway.

24 people were arrested in Spain, in the eastern Catalonia and Valencia regions, in the Basque region in the north and in Guadalajara in central part of the country.

 24 people were arrested in Spain, in the eastern Catalonia and Valencia regions, in the Basque region in the north and in Guadalajara in central part of the country. Spain coordinated the European raids.

The detainees are suspected of crimes, including money-laundering, drug trafficking and weapons possession, the official said on condition of anonymity in line with department rules.

Spain's Cadena Ser radio station said raids were also conducted in France, Austria, Germany, Italy and Switzerland.Switzerland's Federal Prosecutor's Office said 11 people were arrested in that country as part of a probe that began in April 2009.It said the raids targeted a highly structured and hierarchical crime gang that was directed from Spain. 

mansion owned by French-Romanian musician and producer Michael Cretu is being demolished.

After a long struggle between the property owner and nature activists, the supreme court in Madrid recently ruled that the house had indeed been built illegaly, specifically pointing out the exceeding dimensions of the property.The controversial property dates back to 1995-1996 when the building began without any building permit. The demolition of the property will cost in excess of 300,000 euros and requires heavy machinery which had to brought to Ibiza from the mainland.Cretu says he will seek damages of 18 million euros for the demolition of his 3,000 square meter property.

Tens of thousands of illegally homes, many bought by unsuspecting Britons, could be demolished for the basis that the country tries to limit the destruction of its Mediterranean sea shore.

Tens of thousands of illegally homes, many bought by unsuspecting Britons, could be demolished for the basis that the country tries to limit the destruction of its Mediterranean sea shore.Local authorities on the Costa del Sol said yesterday that demolition was being seriously reflection, though attempts would meet up with to be envisioned to compensate people duped into buying illegal properties.
Greenpeace says more than 44,900 houses along with flats have been constructed illegally in recent years. About 20,000 of those have been grounded in one town on my own – the southern Costa del Sol resort of Marbella.The buildings were either put up by developers who did not tolerate proper permits or who had been awarded licences by town halls that deliberately ignored their own planning laws.
Many owners were unaware that they had bought flats or houses constituted on greenfield or secured land, Juan Sánchez, the president of the association of western Costa del Sol towns, told the Guardian yesterday.“Those who tolerate bought apartments in good faith should not be punished. The costs [of compensation] should be assumed by developers or town halls,” he said.
Mr Sánchez said Greenpeace’s facts for the number of illegal buildings probably fell curtest of the actual total.Marbella’s town hall, which has turned a blind eye to a good deal of of the development over the earlier period decade, was reported to be lobbying against demolition yesterday. It was hoping for a blanket amnesty on illegal buildings.Greenpeace said that would set a terrible precedent, “showing that impunity rules on the coast”.Illegal building continues inside Marbella without anyone doing anything close to it, the organisation said.A town hall spokesman refused to comment yesterday.
Greenpeace stated that illegal break homes were effortlessly one of a series of troubles caused by an explosion of building up and down Spain’s Mediterranean coast recent existence.
Developers had sought permission to build some 750,000 new houses and flats over the next few years.As space ran short, the creating boom was at the moment threatening the last few protected coastal areas, including the Cabo de Gata as well as Doñana parks.“The very last corners of the coast are now being built on,” said Juan López de Uralde, the head of Greenpeace in Spain.
A new hotel complex on the Algarrobico beach in the semi-desert at Cabo de Gata, which won planning permission from a local council, was proof that even the most valued ecosystems were no longer safe, Greenpeace said.Jiffy-home owners from Britain furthermore elsewhere, unscrupulous developers and town halls dependent on income derive pleasure initiating licences have fuelled the construction boom.
International drugs capital riches and the profits from the illegal arms trade are also stated to have been sunk into Spanish coastal real estate. Some Costa del Sol town halls are so used to living off the proceeds of building licences and domicile deals that they receive between 50 and 70% of their income from construction, Mr Sánchez said.The 11 former fishing villages that streak west along the Costa del Sol take pleasure in Torremolinos to Manilva are expected to have a permanent population of 1.5 million within ten life. That does not incorporates the millions of visitors who come each every year or those who live part of the time.A plan to control and organise building on the Costa del Sol has finally been drawn up more than 20 time after it was first called since.
“A number of things are too late to fix,” stated Mr Sánchez. “But we should not be afraid to grow as long as we do it in an organised, keep things clean way.
“Private enterprise and public initiatives toil at different rhythms,” he said. “It may take three existence to put conscious a housing estate, but it takes 20 to build a motorway.”
A recent Costa del Sol survey displayed to that hoteliers, who predict a fall in business, are among those most nervous about overbuilding.
Greenpeace said that only of the biggest strains on coastal infrastructure was the building of fresh golf courses that each consumed as much water as a town of 15,000 human beings.
More than 20 of these were being opened each per annum, meaning that the country would tolerate about 500 golf courses within a decade.

Due to the collapse in the pound’s value British expatriates in Spain alone have lost over £5 billion

Due to the collapse in the pound’s value British expatriates in Spain alone have lost over £5 billion in spending power this last two years. Hundreds of thousands of Brits living in Spain are dependent upon a sterling income. Pensioners have been particularly hard hit; as many more are dependent upon investment returns. This is already causing immense hardship.It beggars the imagination to think of the social effects if the exchange rate should drop to a predicted €0.86. It is best not to think of the pound being de-valued to as little as €0.50.

Polaris World debts owed to the Bank of Valencia by the Murcian constructor estimated to be around 62-million euros and around 100-million euros owed overall

Polaris World e debt  owed to the Bank of Valencia by the Murcian constructor estimated to be around 62-million euros and around 100-million euros owed overall. According to the economic newspaper Cinco Días, the principle creditors are Caja Mediterráneo, Bancaja Group y Banco Popular.Polaris World accepted that 15 of its companies, are in a ’state of insolvencia’ and thus the group is seeking to initiate a period of negotiation with their creditors before entering suspension of payments. The insolvency affects four of the urbanizations, two hotels and El Oasis de Alhama commercial centre among others. The debt of the company, that also accounts for some 700 employees, approaches 100 million Euros.In particular, the court has registered a condition of ‘bankruptcy’ for Polaris World Sports Centre, Polaris Development, Polaris World Development, Polaris World Industrial Machinery Rental, Polaris World Concrete, Polaris World Real Estate, Nicklaus Trail Golf, Valley Resort Golf, Green Property, Riquelme Property, Polaris Tower Hotel, El Oasis de Alhama Commercial Centre, Polaris Oasis City and Alhama Resort Golf. These companies have until 22^nd March 2010, to negotiate new terms with their creditors.It’s still business as usual at Polaris World; the Murcian Government have voiced their support for the complex with the owners and directors are hopeful that new terms can be negotiated to avoid further action and court appearances. Polaris World is known throughout Europe for its golf, football complex, residences and quality hotels and all that can be done shall be, according to the directors and management.

37 people who have been arrested are suspected to have garnered about 3 million euros by targeting people who had been denied personal loans in the past.

 Spanish police have arrested 37 people from various parts of Málaga, Torremolinos and Antequera in connection with the Málaga bank fraud case. It is further reported that the police also searched properties in Alhaurín el Grande trying to get any clues related to the matter.The 37 people who have been arrested are suspected to have garnered about 3 million euros by targeting people who had been denied personal loans in the past.They also targeted people with low incomes from whom they could get a huge commission for forging documents which allowed them to submit applications for the loan.Also amongst their targets were people who had been denied mortgages, to whom they would supply forged salary slips and income tax declarations.As understood from EFE reports, a couple of branches of a bank whose name was not mentioned were also searched in Antequera and Málaga.

10,000 bars, restaurants and cafes in the province of Malaga alone have seen over 900 million euros lost in the past two months

 Rain that has fallen in the province of Malaga over the previous two months has caused not only great damage to roads, nature and beaches but also to businesses. Estimates from various business assocations in the province suggest that one thousand million euros have been lost due to the weather.The over 10,000 bars, restaurants and cafes in the province of Malaga alone have seen over 900 million euros lost in the past two months according to estimates from the Hostelry Assocation. Other businesses including shops, stalls at local markets and golf courses have also lost considerable amounts of income.The Business Assocation of Traders in Malaga estimates that sales have collapsed 85 per cent, amounting to 70 million euros in lost income for the 15,000 families in Malaga alone who sell products at street markets on a daily basis.

Body of a middle-aged man has been found half-buried in a riverbed in the Venta Baja area of Alcaucin

 Body of a middle-aged man has been found half-buried in a riverbed in the Venta Baja area of Alcaucin. The body was discovered by workmen who were cleaning the river and due to recent rains which had increased the level of water, the course had to be diverted by firemen in order to extract the corpse.An autopsy has revealed that the man has been dead for several months and Guardia Civil are now investigating the identity and the cause of death. They are looking into missing persons files for the past year.

Estepona Hotel on the Costa del Sol has been closed down because the Guardia Civil are investigating the possibility that it is involved in a prostitution

 Estepona Hotel on the Costa del Sol has been closed down because the Guardia Civil are investigating the possibility that it is involved in a prostitution ring.Fifteen people have been arrested including the bullfighter Juan Pedro Galan and members of his family.Five other similar establishments have also been closed down in Cadiz province.These are in Jerez,Conil,Puerto de Santa maria,Medina Sidonia and Algeciras.All are owned by the Galanteria  Hoteles Club which is the property of the bullfighter and his family.The Guardia Civil say that more than 150 women worked in these hotels and some are said to have been held in abusive conditions,possibly against their will.In the first closure computers and documentation were seized.The police believe that the family business involved sexual exploitation,money laundering and falsification of documents.The properties are valued at 50 million euros and vehicles and money have been impounded.The investigation has been ongoing since last April and Juan pedro Galan ,his father and five others have been detained in prison.

Amy Fitzpatrick : skeleton found in a stream in the Costa del Sol

mother of missing teenager Amy Fitzpatrick expressed relief today that parts of a skeleton found in a stream in the Costa del Sol were not her daughter's remains."A friend was in contact with the police who told him that the remains were definitely not Amy. The police still have not said if the skeleton was a man, woman or child but at least we can continue to hope she is alive," she said.The Dublin teenager had moved to Spain with her mother, brother Dean, and her mother's partner Dave Mahon a few years before she vanished on the night of January 1, 2008, near her home in Calahonda.Amy's aunt Christine Kenny said today that Amy's father Christopher Fitzpatrick, who lives in Dublin, had been in contact with her after becoming deeply concerned about reports in an English-language newspaper in Spain that a skeleton had been found around 60km from Amy's home.Christine, a sister of Christopher, said she had been trying to contact the Department of Foreign Affairs last night but was relieved by reassurances the find was not connected with Amy.Franco Rey, a Spanish friend of Audrey, said police believed the remains were the leg of a human skeleton.Police believe it could have been washed into the stream by heavy flooding from a burial grounds. Nonetheless, DNA testing was proceeding, he said.

Seven people have been arrested after a thousand kilos of cocaine was found hidden in frozen fruit

Seven people have been arrested after a thousand kilos of cocaine was found hidden in frozen fruit pulp in a joint operation by the National Police and the Agencia Tributaria (Spain's tax and customs office). The consignment left Buenaventura in Colombia on December 12th and was transferred onto another ship at Balboa in Panama.  After crossing the Panama Canal, the shipment entered Spain via Algeciras on December 30th, where it was transferred again, boarding a boat for its ultimate destination, Bilbao, where it was unloaded in January. Later the same month, the containers were transported to Álava and then on to an industrial estate in Viana (Navarra) where the gang had rented a warehouse and where they were later caught red-handed by the police Apart from the drugs haul, with an estimated black market value of some 30 million euros, three cars have been confiscated, as well as 5,500 euros in cash, a number of computers and a considerable amount of documentation including forged passports. Agents involved in operation "Candela" as it was named, arrested five people in the warehouse in Viana, and then made additiona arrests in Málaga and Alicante. The cocaine was mixed with the fruit pulp by means of a chemical process and the traffickers had to carry out another chemical process to separate it again and prepare it for consumption.

owners of a Malaga jewellery shop, aged 37 and 39, have been arrested by National Police for faking a robbery because business was bad.

 owners of a Malaga jewellery shop, aged 37 and 39, have been arrested by National Police for faking a robbery because business was bad. The couple has also been charged fraud. A 42-year-old Swiss insurance agent has also been arrested for fraud, for allegedly helping them to carry out the plan.

Two East European men have been sentenced to 18 and a half years each in prison for robbing a perfume shop in Fuengirola

Two East European men have been sentenced to 18 and a half years each in prison for robbing a perfume shop in Fuengirola in February 2006 and seriously injuring the owners. They burst into the shop and began to hit the owner in the head and face before tying and gagging him and taking him into the back room. His wife arrived shortly afterwards and she too was attacked by a man with his face covered who knocked her unconscious. They stole 3,000 euros, several bottles of perfume and mobile phones. They will now have to pay the victims 700,000 euros in compensation.

Three Romanians were arrested in Marbella after the car they were driving crashed into a tree when they were escaping the scene of a shooting.

 Three Romanians were arrested in Marbella after the car they were driving crashed into a tree when they were escaping the scene of a shooting. Local Police who attended the accident in Avenida Severo Ochoa had no idea that the victims were wanted for another crime. Once they had checked none of them were injured, the three men went to a nearby bar, and the police continued their patrol.

Spain’s Revenue Service and Civil Guard seized 1.3 tons of cocaine that arrived in the customs area of the port in the eastern city of Valencia hidden in the false bottom of a container shipped from the Dominican Republic

Spain’s Revenue Service and Civil Guard seized 1.3 tons of cocaine that arrived in the customs area of the port in the eastern city of Valencia hidden in the false bottom of a container shipped from the Dominican Republic, officials said.According to press reports, one person was arrested in Valencia and a second suspect apparently waiting for the cocaine was detained in Barcelona province. The cocaine was aboard the Nordsea, a Cypriot-flagged ship that arrived in Valencia on Feb. 23 from the Dominican Republic.The operation was launched in the wake of an investigation of cocaine shipments in containers sent to the port of Valencia.A review of information gathered in the case led investigators to a container that arrived from the Dominican Republic and was bound for a company in Madrid. The container fit "a high-risk profile" for drug trafficking, investigators said.

San Pedro Alcantara. Ciro Figaro, a reputed boss from the Mazzarella clan Neapolitan Mafia, was arrested last week by Spanish authorities

Ciro Figaro, a reputed boss from the Mazzarella clan  Neapolitan Mafia, was arrested last week by Spanish authorities in San Pedro Alcantara. Apparently Figaro was leading a reasonably quiet life on a Marbella urbanization. The son of mafia boss Ciro Russo, who allegedly owed Figaro money was being held against his will and was freed. Figaro did not resist arrest.He had an active warrant issued for his arrest since 2007 and it’s believed he controlled his clan from Malaga which dealt mostly in drugs. The police had him under surveillance since January and he was arrested in a joint operation between the Spanish and Italian police and Interpol. Figaro was taken before the National Court as there is an extradition order pending.Documents found by the police indicate he was running drugs between Spain and Italy, due to his numerous contacts in North Africa. It is hoped that this discovery will lead to other members of different mafia gangs on the Costa del Sol, as well as preventing others from setting up operations in the area.

Lyons, from Bonnybridge, Stirlingshire, fled to Spain after the killing but was extradited back to Scotland after being arrested by Spanish police

Paul Lyons, 28, rammed 32-year-old Mark Fleeman's van on the M74 motorway near Larkhall in June last year.The High Court in Glasgow heard that Lyons was high on drink and drugs and banned from driving at the time.Mr Fleeman died after his van spun off the road and overturned. His 17-year-old passenger Lee Allsup was seriously injured. Both men were from Uttoxeter.The court heard that just seconds before the fatal incident Mr Fleeman made a desperate 999 call during which the operator could "hear sounds of a crash".Lyons, from Bonnybridge, Stirlingshire, fled to Spain after the killing but was extradited back to Scotland after being arrested by Spanish policeThe 28-year-old, whose father runs a Glasgow garage which was at the centre of a triple shooting in 2006, was originally charged with murder or an alternative charge of causing death by reckless driving..

"Lyons then fled abroad, desperately attempting to avoid the consequences of his actions.

"Working with our criminal justice partners and utilising all of the powers within the legislation available we were determined to ensure he did not do so."The court heard that shopfitter Mr Fleeman was driving from Derbyshire, to work in Dunfermline, along the M74 in the early hours of 4 June last year when Lyons repeatedly tried to crash his own van into him at a speed of more than 70mph.The vehicles eventually collided, with Mr Fleeman's overturning several times before landing at the side of the carriageway.Advocate depute Iain McSporran said Mr Fleeman had initially gestured at Lyons because of his erratic driving.He said: "It appears that the accused's response to this gesture is what led to Mr Fleeman's death."The court was told that Lyons, who was driving home from a night out in Manchester with two friends, had been drinking beer and wine and took valium pills during the trip north.After the crash he sped off towards Gartcosh railway station where he and his friends were picked up by an associate.Later that morning, Lyons asked a panel beater friend to attend his garage premises. Lyons' van was never seen again.The court heard that one of his passengers, James Tulloch, was arrested days later on an unrelated matter.He told police he had been in Lyons' van, there had been "a road rage incident" and that "we rammed them".Mr McSporran told the court: "He fully implicated Lyons as the driver. He described his high speed, aggressive and erratic driving under the influence of drink and drugs."The advocate depute also told the court that Mr Allsup, who was seriously injured in the crash, used to be a "happy go lucky" person but had since contemplated suicide after spending seven weeks in various hospitals.In a victim impact statement read to the court, Mr Allsup said: "My best friend died. I can not begin to describe how that feels. I'm numb."I can't leave the house. I have panic attacks."Lawyers for Lyons said he accepted his conduct had been utterly irresponsible and stupid and he expressed remorse to his victims' families.Det Ch Inp Neil Thomson, who led the Strathclyde Police investigation, said: "The investigation into the circumstances was somewhat challenging and involved liaison with other police forces throughout the country and beyond."I would like to thank members of the public who supported officers throughout the inquiry."People were naturally outraged by the circumstances leading up to the death of Mark Fleeman. This was evident in the level of co-operation received."He added: "I sincerely hope that Mark's family can now put their ordeal behind them and move on with their lives."Lyons will return to court next month for sentencing.

case against alleged Russian mob kingpin Gennadios Vasilievich Petrov collapse

 case against alleged Russian mob kingpin Gennadios Vasilievich Petrov collapse. Petrov, was arrested at his 20m euro mansion in Calvia (Mallorca) in June 2008 in the police ‘Operacion Troika’ accused of involvement in extortion, murder, tax evasion illicit association, falsification of documents and drugs trafficking, and was allegedly the boss of the feared Russian Tambovskaya-Malyshevskaya organised crime gang.Another 20 or so people were arrested in the across Spain, including the Costa del Sol, as part of Operacion Troika. Among them was Petrov’s alleged under-boss Alexander Malyshev, who was arrested at a luxury mansion in Malaga.On February 9 Petrov went to Madrid with his lawyers to give evidence to Garzon, Anti Corruption and organised crime Prosecutor Jose Grinda and Balerarics prosecutor Juan Carrau. According to El Mundo, the case being mounted against Petrov is related to him having allegedly corrupted a Russian General called Nikolai Nikolaevich Aulov, a prosecutor called Igor Sobolevski and the Russian minister Vladislav Reznik, who used to work for former President Putin.It is thought that a document later issued by Federal Security Service in Saint Petersburg (Russia) clearing Petrov from any suspicion of corruption and stating that he is not being investigated for anything may have played a part in the apparent collapse of the case.It now seems the massive case, will leave Petrov with charges of money laundering, if that.