A MARBELLA broad-daylight shooting that left two people injured, including a police officer, was a clash between rival narco gangs, authorities have said.
Two Dutchmen and one Dane were arrested on Tuesday after gunmen unleashed a barrage of bullets near a Golden Mile hotel at around 2.15pm, hitting another Dutch national in the leg.
A female officer was injured during the dramatic arrests, according to Area Costa del Sol, after police launched a chase when the suspects fled in a car.
The Spanish government’s deputy delegate to Malaga, Javier Salas, said the first hypothesis was that the shooting had been sparked by ‘problems between drug traffickers’, particularly involving Dutch gangs.
Investigators are now working to establish the motive behind the attack and whether a fourth suspect was also involved.
The gun used in the shooting has yet to be found, with officers believing the suspects may have dumped it during the chase.
The shooting erupted on Calle Ramon Gomez de la Serna, in the heart of Marbella, after several people called emergency services reporting a series of gunshots.
Bullets were fired in the middle of the street, close to a hotel and in an area packed with pedestrians.
The suspected gunmen then sped away in a car, prompting a Policia Local patrol to give chase.
Officers pursued the vehicle until it was involved in a crash, forcing the occupants to abandon it and continue their escape on foot towards Nagüeles.
Police eventually caught up with the three suspects and arrested them in the Nagüeles area.
A female Policia Local officer suffered a blow to the head during the arrests, according to Area Costa del Sol.
The three suspects are believed to be of Moroccan origin, sources have told The Olive Press.
After the arrests, they were handed over to the Policia Nacional, who have now taken over the investigation.
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