• Drug trafficking: pressure on drug traffickers in Campo de Gibraltar clogs courts

Hacienda Nápoles was the symbol of the empire of Pablo Escobar and the Medellín cartel; El Chapito, a luxurious yacht docked alongside a $ 10 million mansion, one of El Chapo Guzmán's favorite whims; and El Zabal, the urbanization dreamed of by the drug traffickers in the Strait of Gibraltar and which has been the epicenter of the largest operation against money laundering carried out by the Civil Guard against these drug traffickers. An investigation that has resulted in 63 detainees, 43 investigated, 60 properties and 150 vehicles intervened and 200 bank accounts blocked. Thirty-five million euros of illegal origin reintroduced into the legal circuit that did not prevent many of those involved in this investigation from applying for and receiving numerous subsidies and social aids.

Known as Villanarco , by the media, and La piruleta , by the agents, El Zabal has been the scene of individual investigations since approximately five years ago it began to be built on the Line of the Conception (Cádiz). Los Pantoja, Kiko El Fuerte, El Potito, Los Castañas, Gareth Mauro ... are part of an illustrious neighborhood made up exclusively of 19 chalets that are proof that good taste cannot be bought with money.

"A lot of gold and jacuzzis everywhere," describes an agent who has been inside and who was able to verify the impressive security measures adopted by the drug traffickers. "From 360-degree DOMO cameras, to an all-steel access door to the complex , about 20 centimeters thick, impossible to sweep with a car." And all the houses with artificial grass, "because that way they don't have to hire a gardener to take care of it." The less unknown, the better.

The obsession marked the day-to-day life of its residents, such as that of one of the leaders of the footballers' clan, a former player of the Real Balompédica Linense who trained bale carriers as if it were a template and even carried out drills to time them, explain the sources consulted.

Villanarco's investigations began in 2018

But all these precautions have not prevented the continuous attacks of the Civil Guard in the particular war that for months has been waged in the Campo de Gibraltar between the security forces and drug traffickers. The Domus operation woven around Villanarco has once again highlighted the marked path of attacking traffickers through the profits made from their illicit activities. "That jail is not profitable."

This investigation of money laundering has so far resulted in 63 people arrested -the last four, on Monday afternoon- and 43 more investigated. 150 vehicles have been intervened, valued at more than one million euros; 60 properties -domiciles, garages, premises ...- that would add up to 16 million euros; More than 200 bank accounts of the investigated have been blocked and 550,000 euros in cash have been intervened.

The investigations that have led to the fall of Villanarco began in the fall of 2018, when investigators were able to verify that most of the most important drug traffickers in the area were residing in this urbanization on the Line of Concepción. This complex was also located in an area outside urban planning and the luxury homes that comprise it are not registered in any registry.

The owners allegedly used shell companies - interchangeably created in Spain and Gibraltar - to hide their true ownership. Subsequent investigations revealed that the construction of these houses, lacking external financing, was incompatible with the income and rents declared by the legal activities of their inhabitants.

They received public aid for their alleged precariousness

The sources consulted, at this point, have shown their "outrage" at the fact that many of those involved in this plot received different public aid due to their alleged economic precariousness . "State grants, funds for the purchase of books ..."

The Civil Guard has finally put the money laundered by the investigated at 35,050,900 euros . For this reason, 28 home searches were carried out -27 in La Línea and one in Algeciras-, 19 of them in the El Zabal urbanization.

450 civil guards from the Algeciras Command, CCON (Center for Concentration against Drug Trafficking), OCON (Coordination Body against Drug Trafficking), GAR (Rapid Action Group), Air Service and Maritime Service have participated in the operation.

The operation has been coordinated with the Algeciras Anti-Drug Prosecutor's Office, the civil guards request the Court number 1 of the Line of the Conception.

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