The fight against organised crime on the Costa del Sol: almost 40 people arrested and military-grade weapons seized

Less than a week before the end of a turbulent spring of crimes involving firearms and kidnappings on the Costa del Sol - a place where international mafias settle their disputes at gunpoint - the National Police force in Malaga province has reflected on the efforts their officers have put in the fight against organised crime last year. Over the course of 2024, there were more than a dozen investigations, with almost 40 arrests and the seizure of military-grade weapons.

"The Spanish police work non-stop. That willingness and perseverance ultimately come through, as in this briefing, to tell you everything we have done and are doing, and also to generate greater public confidence," said the newly appointed commissioner of the provincial judicial police brigade, Pedro Agudo, accompanied by chief inspector and head of UDYCO Costa del Sol Juan Antonio Sillero.

Agudo stated that "the Costa del Sol is absolutely safe" thanks to the efforts of the police. According to the sub-delegate of the government in Malaga province, Javier Salas, his statement is backed up by statistics, even if it seems like organised crime is on the rise. "In fact, so far this year, we have had one fewer murder and one fewer attempted murder than last year".

The shooting occurred on 10 February last year, in the Nueva Andalucía area (Marbella), shortly after 11pm, when the 112 emergency system received a call reporting the incident. The perpetrators fired up to nine shots at two individuals. One of the victims was wounded in the arm and leg. He was taken to the Hospital Costa del Sol.

Although the suspects were identified by the police only five days after the incident, the main shooter had already fled the country. However, investigators managed to track him down and, on 13 March, just one month later, five people - four of Swedish origin and one German - were arrested in connection with the incident. During the searches, the officers seized a Glock pistol and a variety of ammunition.

On 11 March, in broad daylight, on Calle Juan Belmonte (Marbella), two individuals opened fire at a restaurant, causing damage to the window, although no injuries were reported. The suspects then fled on a motorbike. Several units of the Local Police and the National Police went to the scene and found several shell casings in the area.

Officers launched an investigation, which bore fruit only ten days after the incident with the identification of the suspects. Four days later, a police operation was set up, resulting in the arrest of the two suspects, both of British origin and in their 40s.

A 20-year-old man was admitted to hospital in a serious condition on 16 March 2024, after being shot several times outside an establishment in Puerto Banús (Marbella). Sources stated that several vehicles had been involved in the shooting. The National Police identified the suspects five days later, resulting in the arrest of five people on 16 July. Officers also seized an AK-47 gun, two revolvers and three pistols, as well as five kilograms of cocaine.

Another shooting took place in Nueva Andalucía on 2 April. It was prompted by a theft attempt, when two individuals tried to snatch a bag from a third. Witnesses recorded the incident. That same morning, a 21-year-old man was admitted to the Hospital Costa del Sol with at least two bullet wounds.

A month later, on 7 May, officers arrested the three suspects, including the alleged perpetrator of the shooting. During the searches, the police seized a pistol with a silencer and two simulated weapons.

A 34-year-old man of Albanian origin was shot ten times on the night of 13 April. The incident took place at the Guadalmina shopping centre and the victim was taken to the Costa del Sol hospital. On 3 May, the National Police arrested two suspects in Seville and a third one in Madrid.

On 30 May 2024, a 37-year-old man was shot early in the morning in the García Grana neighbourhood in Malaga, just as he was about to enter his home. Police and emergency service personnel were mobilised to the scene. The man was taken to the Hospital Regional in an extremely serious condition. He died shortly afterwards. Although the suspect fled on foot, he was arrested a few days later.

A man of Dutch origin was shot dead around 2am on 7 December, just outside a cannabis club on Calle Asturias, in Fuengirola. Six months later, the National Police managed to capture one of the suspects, who is reportedly linked to the Mocro Mafia.

Commissioner Agudo also reported on the results of six other operations, most of them related to kidnappings and robberies with violence. Among them is the kidnapping of a man who was walking along Sabinillas promenade on 21 January 2025. The investigation began two days later, when the officers received a report, accompanied by video footage, which showed the victim being held at gunpoint. The perpetrators were interrogating him about another individual, who had swindled them.

The National Police solved the case in less than 16 hours. A photo of a steering wheel with the logo of the vehicle brand was the key to the victim's release and the arrest of the four suspects.