Sixty people investigated for urban development crimes across Malaga province

A total of 60 people are being investigated for alleged crimes against land use and urban planning in the so-called Opertaion Murus, which has been carried out by Spain's Guardia Civil nature and environment protection branch, Seprona, during 2024 in Malaga province.

Among the people under investigation are developers, builders and planning technicians for alleged crimes against land management, for their involvement illegal building projects on rural land in several municipalities in the province. Seprona sources revealed on Thursday 20 February that investigations have been carried out in Mijas, Malaga city, Antequera, Torrox, Rincon de la Victoria, Coin, Cortes de la Frontera, Estepona, Marbella, Ronda, Nerja and Vélez-Málaga, among other municipalities in the province.

Officers reported 58 urban planning offences and the proceedings have been sent to the Environmental Prosecutor's Office in Malaga. They also carried out 166 inspections across the province, detecting 254 administrative infractions, mainly for lack of planning permission, failure to comply with the project and/or the licence or earthworks, among other causes.

The complaints have been sent to the respective town halls, which are responsible for territorial and urban planning matters and for carrying out the sanctioning proceedings, according to a statement from the Guardia Civil.

Officers mainly highlighted the illegal construction of single-family houses on rural land, in some cases in protected areas; the illegal installation of prefabricated houses for residential purposes; the construction of swimming pools masquerading as irrigation pools; the construction of barbecue areas for recreational purposes without justification or the construction of tool sheds and their subsequent change of use in a residential properties.

The Andalusian regional government and the town halls where the alleged illegal construction has taken place have collaborated with the investigation, certifying the classification of the land and the illegality of the constructions and buildings.