A 21-YEAR-OLD Russian man has been arrested by the Guardia Civil for running a ‘protection racket’ involving various shop owners in the Torrevieja area.
He has been jailed by a Torrevieja judge after being charged with robbery with violence and intimidation, extortion, and car theft.
Clients were threatened by intimidating messages and the man’s alleged links to East European mafia gangs.
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Victims were so scared that would not initially cooperate with the Guardia investigation in fear of reprisals or damage to their businesses.
Uniformed Guardia officers increased their presence and held meetings as well making individual contact with local shopkeepers.
They built up enough trust for several victims to eventually collaborate with the investigators, which allowed significant progress in building up a pìcture of the Russian’s criminal activities.
The Guardia Civil discovered that he popped up at various businesses to talk to owners and offered protection in return for regular payments.
Pressure was ramped up on his targets as he made claims that he had associates within notorious East European criminal organisations.
One incident happened on April 4 when he entered a store and stole items which he demanded from an employee.
He also rifled his way through a till and made various threats if the police were called.
Over a fortnight later, he extorted a business owner by stealing his car and then demanding a payment if he wanted his vehicle back.
The Guardia Civil says that the investigation is still open to see if there were other victims and if the detained Russian had help from other people
It’s also appealed for traders to always come forward with reports of incidents involving threats, coercion or extortion.
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