Ben Pawlowski
POLICE in Marbella are demanding help from the central Spanish government in the wake of a spate of shootings which have rocked the city.
In a desperate appeal to the Interior Ministry – the governmental department responsible for public security and the command of law enforcement agencies – police unions said they needed ‘more resources’ in order to combat organised crime in the region.
They also called for legislation around firearm licensing to be tightened, as well as sentences for violent crimes to be strengthened.
Marilo Valencia, spokesperson for the Unified Police Union (SUP), said: “What we have seen recently is not something isolated, rather that violence is shamefully becoming more normalised”.
Just two days ago, the Policia Nacional opened an investigation after a 21-year old man was left wounded after being hit by gunfire in a Puerto Banus urbanisation.
Shootings in the Marbella area have also occurred on February 10, February 12, March 11 and March 16, as vicious gang rivalries spill out onto the streets.
Marbella, and the wider Costa del Sol, has become a hotspot for international organised crime, with Valencia estimating that ‘80 or 90 groups from all over the world’ operate in the area.
Valencia also stated that he believes the Special Security Plan for the Campo de Gibraltar, launched in 2018, caused many criminal organisations to move their operations to Marbella where they can ‘enjoy the weather and become invisible if they have money’.
He added that authorities need to start ‘investing in the safety of the police’, saying that regional agencies often lack basic kit, such as bullet-proof vests and electric tasers.
In addition, the union representative argued that the police needed ‘more officers and more resources’, ‘a new police station’, and modernised cars which would allow them to keep up with the high-speed vehicles used by criminals.
David Pola, spokesperson for the Spanish Police Confederation (CEP), said: “The extremely violent acts that we have seen in recent weeks are worrying the public and worrying us”.
“Although specialised units of the police do a brilliant job against organised crime, these groups need more human resources and funds to tackle the wave of violent acts”, he added.
Oscar Camacho, representative for the Independent Union of Andalucian Police (SIP-AN), likewise described the spate of shootings as ‘worrying’, adding that crime is driven by a ‘new type of mafia’, often with ‘Moroccan members but based in Belgium or the Netherlands’.
He added that ‘legislation is not keeping up’ and is ‘very lax’, saying: “What can we do when we arrest these people and then days later they are back on the streets?”.
In response to recent criticism, the central government were keen to highlight a 14.4% increase in the number of officers based in Malaga between 2018 and 2023.
