Alex Trelinski
A BENIDORM restaurant owner was arrested after his business was robbed because French authorities wanted him extradited for a money laundering conviction.
It was a day to forget for the 58-year-old Spaniard- prompted by three burglars plundering his premises.
Policia Nacional officers responded to an emergency call about a break-in taking place at the unnamed restaurant.
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The three men were caught red-handed outside, clutching several bottles of alcohol and other items.
They accessed the building by climbing over a wall and the Spaniards were arrested and charged with robbery.
When the officers came to check details of the restaurateur, they discovered that France had issued a warrant for his arrest and extradition over a conviction dating back to a 2017 crime.
The man was stopped in May that year by French police at a checkpoint with €249,000 in cash hidden in his car.
He claimed he was returning to Spain from a trip to Brussels, but officers found he had been in Amsterdam.
The Spaniard was tried in France and jailed for three years but fled after being convicted of laundering money made from drug trafficking.
The National Court in Madrid is now processing the French extradition request.
