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Juan Cano / Irene Quirante
Estepona
Wednesday, 14 August 2024, 16:05
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The death of a 34-year-old Belgian man after being shot in the back at a luxury villa on a residential development in Estepona confirms what was already a concern for the police: the proliferation of clandestine villa parties on the Costa del Sol. In fact, this Monday's shooting is the second such fatal shooting at an event of this kind (after the death of a DJ in 2021), to which should be added as many others injured in similar incidents in Benahavís and Marbella in recent years.
Although the phenomenon has always existed, the proliferation of these parties began with Covid-19 and the mobility restrictions introduced during the state of alarm. They emerged as an alternative venue for nightlife, circumventing the regular controls. Sources consulted explain that there has been a boom since the pandemic and nowadays they no longer just replace the cocktail bars, but have become after-hours places to go to after the discotheques and nightclubs have closed.
Not surprisingly, some of these premises have been fitted out to function as party venues, even going so far as to tint the windows black to keep out the sunlight. They usually charge admission and a bottle of vodka served in plastic cups can cost 300 euros, even if it's not even a premium brand.
The parties usually take place in the privacy of a private home - either rented out or, as in the case of Estepona, illegally occupied, to the detriment of the owner and local residents - and without any kind of licence or regulation of the activity.
Police officers know that narcotics and other substances such as laughing gas are consumed at these parties. In fact, on one occasion, a van loaded with bottles of nitrogen oxide destined for one of these parties was seized.
Sources consulted by this newspaper have acknowledged the difficulty of intervening in these events, given that, in general, the ownership of the properties is not even clear and police cannot access them without the authorisation of the courts, unless a flagrant crime is being committed.
Police usually respond to residents' calls with complaints about noise by reinforcing patrols in the neighbourhood to prevent the uncivil acts being complained of by local residents, who are desperate about the situation, as the president of the residents' community of El Paraíso, where the latest fatal shooting happened, has told the media.
The individual who is said to be squatting in the villa where the incident took place goes by the name of León and is of Cuban origin. Yesterday, he gave several interviews on television where he admitted to being the organiser of the party where the Belgian man was shot dead. He said he does not charge admission to these events, which, he claimed, are only attended by friends or acquaintances. He also stated that he only heard the shot, but did not see who pulled the trigger. Local residents claim, however, that there is even a bouncer emplyed at the parties.
Although the incident was reported at 8.30am, the party on Monday "had only just begun". There were about 25 people who had spent the night in discos and nightclubs in the area and who went there to finish off the party. But it was not the ending they expected.
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