Two police officials in the province of Málaga were tried and found guilty of carrying out anti-drug operations for their own personal benefit.
The ex-Chief Inspector for Marbella, Carlos F., was sentenced to 9-years’ imprisonment and barred for another 30 from any kind of police work, whilst the ex-Chief Inspector of the Drugs Squad (Udyco) for the Costa del Sol, José Alfredo M. was sentenced to 6-months’ imprisonment and two and a half years suspended from service. Both men had been found guilty of stealing confiscated items, carrying out false drug busts, using police information for private investigations and even releasing a drug dealer to use him as a mole. This last person was also found guilty and sentenced to 3-years’ imprisonment.
The case goes back to 2006 when an investigation by Internal Affairs arrested the two police chiefs for alleged irregularities in their work procedure. Carlos F. had pocketed a wrist watch worth 20,000 euros, belonging to an alleged drug dealer during his arrest. At first, the policeman denied the existence of the watch but owing to the insistence of the man’s lawyer, he later handed it over claiming that it had turned up when the man’s car had been searched.
Also, instead of arresting another alleged drug dealer, Ottone I., he let him go free so that he could snitch on other drug dealers. The court, however, considered that it could not be proved that his boss, José Alfredo M., Head of the whole of the Costa del Sol, authorized the Ottone’s release.
The original news article, published in the Ideal on the 20th of September, does not explain what exactly Carlos F.’s boss was found guilty of, but judging by his 6-month prison sentence, compared to his subordinate’s nine years, his involvement must have been to a much lesser degree.
Finally, Carlos F. was found guilty of mounting an unofficial drug bust, using Ottone I. Whilst the drug dealers were arrested, Ottone I. was allowed to walk free with the bag containing the money.
(News: Marbella, Costa del Sol, Malaga, Andalucia)