"Tell whoever sent you that next time I will cut his throat." The "next time" the three hitmen lodged about fifty bullets into Catherine Isabelle Castagna and her husband, Jacques René Grangeon. The Lyon clan did not like Castagna's threat and they gunned down the couple in their luxurious villa in the Las Lomas de Marbella urbanization. 50 bullets for the 500 million pesetas that Castagna and Grangeon owed them for losing a hashish game. One bullet for every 10 million (60,000 euros). The Lyonnais clan had recently settled a few months ago on the Costa del Sol to control the route between Morocco and France and they were not messing around. It was the autumn of 1996.

The Civil Guard is investigating the death of a three-year-old girl in Torrevieja, in La Vega Baja, as a possible crime of vicarious violence. The little girl was found hanging and the body of her father, also deceased, was also found. As reported by the Efe agency, last night the girl's mother and ex-partner of the alleged perpetrator of the crime alerted the Civil Guard because she had not been able to contact the man for hours and was afraid he might harm her daughter. Upon receiving the alert, the police went to the alleged murderer's house and found, in the early morning, the lifeless bodies of the girl and the man in the basement of the house.

The former head of the National Police, accused of sexual assault by a female officer, vehemently denies the allegations. "I was able to prove my innocence," José Ángel González told reporters as he left the courthouse. González, who had been the Deputy Director of Operations (DAO) of the Spanish police since August 2018—resigning when he was summoned to testify and the complaint became public—accused the officer of "malice, meanness, and hatred," and reproached him for having "ruined my personal, family, and professional life." The complainant's lawyer, Jorge Piedrafita, recounted that during his testimony before the judge, the former DAO accused the victim of having "stunted a trap" and called her "envious, hysterical, and crazy." Legal sources added to ARA that, regarding the alleged incident, González justified his actions by saying that while she was telling him no, he was making gestures indicating yes. He also maintained that they only kissed and hugged, and asserted that she consented to what they were doing and that he never ordered her to do anything. Furthermore, he framed the sexual encounter as a "game."

The current head of the National Police in the Balearic Islands, José Santafé Arnedo, will now be the new Deputy Director of Operations (DAO) of the force. Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska appointed him to the top police command position, replacing José Ángel González, who resigned when it became known that he was under investigation. allegedly for sexually assaulting a subordinateThe vacancy for the position of Deputy Director of Operations (DAO)—which in practice means being the number two in the force—opened seven days ago, and Santafé submitted his application. Since González's resignation and while the new police chief was being chosen, the position had been temporarily filled by the deputy director of human resources, Gema Barroso. Finally, Marlaska chose Santafé at the suggestion of the director general of the force, Francisco Pardo; a political leadership position and the only one above the DAO.

Santafé is 61 years old and has held various positions throughout his career in the force, which began in 1990. As an inspector, he worked in public safety, the judicial police, and immigration matters, both in Madrid and the Balearic Islands. In 2005, Santafé was promoted to chief inspector and in 2012 to commissioner. With this rank, he served in the Canary Islands and again in the Balearic Islands, where in 2020 he reached the highest rank in the police force—that of chief commissioner—and since 2022 had been the chief superintendent of the regional police headquarters. During this time, he worked alongside the current Secretary of State for Security, Aina Calvo, who served as the Spanish government's delegate in the Balearic Islands between 2020 and 2023.

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The story begins at the Santa Coloma de Gramenet Town Hall, when a person arrives to complete a procedure and hands over a document certifying their registration as a resident of the town. However, the official quickly realizes that the document is fake. This was the start of a National Police investigation that has culminated in the arrest of three women accused of creating a network of fraudulent registrations.

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The Chief of the National Police accused of sexual assault He goes on the offensive. Two weeks after a female officer filed a complaint against him for alleged rape at his official residence, José Ángel González—who resigned when the judge summoned him to testify—is attempting to discredit the audio recording accompanying his defense. He argues that the recording "does not support" the complaint's account, but rather introduces elements that "demonstrate a very different relationship" between them: "It reveals a prior personal relationship of trust, in which complicity, intimate contact, and mutual verbal interaction are evident," states the document, which he has submitted. He argues that the conversation shows an "emotional dynamic" that is "incompatible" with the "alleged scenario of violence" described by the victim and maintains that the audio reveals there was no "scenario of pressure," but rather an "outburst of jealousy," a "clear demand for attention," and a "demand for exclusivity." Furthermore, she asserts that José Ángel González offered her permission to leave his home on two occasions: "You can leave. I've never used you. Go, go whenever you want. Come on, go."

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The scandal caused by the sexual assault complaint filed by a female officer against the now-former Deputy Director of Operations (DAO) of the National Police, José Ángel Rodríguez, demonstrates the extent to which rape culture is present in our society, if the accusation proves true. That the highest-ranking civilian uniformed official in the State is accused of such a serious crime in a thoroughly documented complaint sends a terrible message: not even the police, who are supposed to uphold the law, are safe spaces for women facing this type of aggression. In this case, moreover, the alleged assault was committed against a subordinate, adding a textbook example of abuse of power.

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Yesterday's interview with Salvador Illa on TV3 was disappointing due to its lack of relevance. The President of the Generalitat said what I predicted he would say yesterday: that he will continue doing what he has been doing, that solutions are not quick, and that it is essential that his investiture partners, Esquerra and Comuns, not create insurmountable obstacles to passing the budget. He also stated that there will be neither changes in the government nor a vote of confidence. He raised his voice slightly to say that "enough with the anti-Catalan sentiment," and added that he, personally, didn't like the burka. And with that, the interview ended, and good night.

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A judge in Madrid has summoned the Deputy Director of Operations (DAO) of the National Police, José Ángel González, to testify as a suspect following a complaint filed by a female officer alleging sexual assault. The summons was issued on Thursday, February 12, and was made public this Tuesday. Minutes after it was released, sources from the Ministry of the Interior reported that González has resigned from his post and that the move will take effect "in the coming hours." He will be temporarily replaced by the Deputy Director of Human Resources, Gemma Barroso. González is scheduled to testify on March 17 at the Madrid Court for Violence Against Women No. 8. On the same day, the judge will also take a statement from the officer who filed the complaint against the commissioner. Specifically, the officer alleges that González, with whom she had a "romantic relationship," sexually assaulted her in an official residence owned by the Ministry of the Interior. The complaint that triggered this judicial investigation dates back to April of last year, when the woman explained that she was pressured into going to this residence while on duty. Furthermore, after the assault, she was allegedly coerced not to report it.

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The National Police reported on Friday the arrest in Madrid of a man for broadcasting, via a live streaming application, the sexual assaults he committed against his minor daughter. The arrest of the individual, who is now in prison, took place in December, after a citizen alerted the police a month earlier through an email address set up to report child pornography. Investigators from the Central Cybercrime Unit confirmed that the detainee used private rooms on live streaming applications to attract interested users by showing photos of himself with his daughter in bed. Subsequently, on another application, he broadcast live the assaults he committed against his own minor daughter. The payment the arrested man received for connecting with these pedophiles was virtual currency redeemable on the website for gifts or improved search engine ranking.

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The National Police have arrested a man as the suspected perpetrator of the violent death of his daughter in Córdoba, according to EFE. The events occurred on Sunday night at a home they shared in the Ciutat Jardí area, near the historic center of this Andalusian city and very close to the Civil Guard station. After the alleged murder of his 30-year-old daughter, the man attempted suicide. At the time of his arrest, the father had self-inflicted stab wounds to his abdomen and was taken to the Reina Sofía Hospital in Córdoba, where he is currently hospitalized under police custody. Although the investigation is in its initial stages, early hypotheses suggest that this is not a case of vicarious violence. This type of violence is perpetrated by the father against his children with the aim of harming the mother. These initial reports also rule out the possibility that this is a case of gender-based violence. However, the man is included in the Viogén system, which aims to protect victims of gender-based violence from their abusers.

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You might remember the series Riot policeA Movistar+ police drama that delved into the professional and domestic struggles of a group of men from the Spanish police's riot control units (UIP). In the final minute of the last episode, the protagonists arrived in Barcelona to quell the protests against the verdict in the Trials trial. One of the characters was giving a lecture to a rookie colleague:Relax, it's like anything else. You just need a little firmness and a little common sense. And if you throw in a little swagger... you've got it.But reality was less epic.

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A misstep by the Interior Ministry. The department, headed by Fernando Grande-Marlaska, will dismiss Commissioner Antonio José Royo Subías as head of the National Police in Lleida shortly after appointing him a week ago, on December 9, according to ministry sources. This high-ranking police official was convicted of sexual harassment two decades ago. The minister asserted on Tuesday that his department was unaware of the sexual harassment conviction because it was no longer on Royo Subías's record when he was appointed to the position, as the law requires such records to be expunged after a certain period. According to the minister's explanation in the Senate, in response to questions from ERC parliamentarian Sara Bailac, the person responsible for making these appointments (the Director General of the Police) was unaware of the conviction, but it came to light thanks to "third parties," allowing for the commissioner's immediate dismissal. After expressing the Interior Ministry's commitment "to the fight against all types of sexual assault," Marlaska acknowledged that the situation could cause "great harm" because it could affect the trust of victims of sexual or gender-based violence in policies on this matter. In fact, this is not the first time the Interior Ministry has dismissed this officer. In 2018, he was in charge of the Regional Judicial Police Brigade of Aragon, which oversaw the Family and Women's Unit. He was appointed by the previous Interior Minister, Juan Ignacio Zoido, and his successor ended up dismissing him, a move that also generated controversy at the time, according to reports. Aragon Newspaper.

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"We're going crazy," says a National Police commander, expressing the increasing difficulty of pursuing drug cartels. In a globalized and ever-changing world, drug trafficking also transcends borders and constantly innovates in the ways it extends its reach. Traditionally, heroin has arrived in powder form or in bulk from Afghanistan—estimated to supply 80% of the world's opiate users—via a land route through Turkey. But all this is changing, as demonstrated by the latest discovery in Madrid. For the first time, heroin in pill form has been found in Europe and the world, originating from Colombia. This Friday, the National Police reported the seizure of eight kilos of heroin divided into thousands of pills and the arrest of five people in a parking lot of a shopping center in southern Madrid. It's a new and pioneering format: heroin pills must be diluted before injection, which is how the drug is usually consumed. This format is simply a "marketing strategy," explains Alberto Morales, chief commissioner of the Central Narcotics Brigade of the Drug Trafficking and Organized Crime Unit (UDYCO). This format is designed to "attract a young audience." Furthermore, the pills featured a skull graphic, which is also a marketing tactic, to remind them of brands that use this logo, such as a popular clothing chain. It was all part of a market study, a kind of test, to see how the public would receive this new format. And some of the intended recipients were Catalans: in the wiretapped phone conversations, those under investigation admitted that one of the drug's destinations was Barcelona. Once on the street, each pill would have been worth between eight and ten euros.

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A new police offensive has been launched against graffiti artists. The Mossos d'Esquadra (Catalan Police) and the National Police have carried out a large-scale operation in recent days, following a two-year investigation, which has led to the arrest of twenty people for damaging the facilities of Renfe, Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya (FGC), and Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona (TMB). Collectively, they are responsible for up to 130 offenses related to the railway sector, causing economic damage of more than half a million euros, according to a statement released by the police forces this Friday. The detainees accessed train stations through unauthorized areas, changing the days and times they went to avoid detection. They also covered their faces and tried to cover as much ground as possible in the shortest amount of time. They always finished by signing their work with their tag. According to the police, their actions directly affected rail service, causing several delays, in addition to the cost of cleaning the graffiti. The arrests took place in the Barcelona and Girona areas.

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National Police officers in Girona have arrested the parents of a minor for "deliberately" abandoning him at a police station. According to a statement released by the Spanish police force on Friday, the parents' objective was to have their child recognized as an unaccompanied foreign minor and obtain the benefits associated with this legal status. The investigation began during the child's registration process. National Police officers noticed that the passport listed an address in Girona. This discrepancy led the police to verify the child's status and locate his parents. This incident in Girona on Friday is not an isolated case. Just a month ago, 30 parents... They ended up arrested in Tarragona to pass their children off as unaccompanied minors. 124 files of minors in protection centers in the city of Tarragona were detected that could be linked to this type of fraud. They left the minors near police stations or social services offices, thus allowing them to benefit from the public protection system.

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The Aragua Train was meant to connect Aragua with Carabobo, both Venezuelan states. The project began in 2005, and a workers' union took complete control of job allocation. They soon became corrupt and began extorting contractors. As police sources often say, the world of crime offers easy money and is difficult to escape. When construction of these railway lines was halted in 2011, the union was already considered a criminal gang: the Aragua Train. This was the criminal seed of a group that consolidated itself a little over a decade ago in Tocorón prison, in eastern Aragua, extorting inmates and controlling the flow of drugs into the penitentiary. And a leader rose to power: Héctor Rusthenford Guerrero Flores, known as the Warrior ChildHe was imprisoned in 2013 and forged ties with the internal union leaders. The group grew in number, sporting tattoos of locomotives and messages like "son of God" all over their bodies. They committed murders, kidnappings, and attacks, and played a very active role in human and drug trafficking to the United States. The cartel expanded through Venezuela, Chile, Colombia, and Peru, eventually reaching the US. And now, it was attempting to establish itself in Spain.

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Two National Police officers will stand trial accused of falsifying a public document. The officers reported and fined a woman from Terrassa for allegedly refusing to identify herself, which the prosecution claims is untrue. The Terrassa Court of Instruction Number 4 has decided to send them to trial after three years of litigation. Prosecutors are seeking four years in prison for each officer, a four-year ban from working in public administration, and a fine.

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Kidnapping in broad daylight on a Madrid street. This Friday night, three vehicles intentionally rammed a fourth car in the Carabanchel neighborhood. After a shootout, the driver of the rammed car was pulled from the vehicle and forcibly taken away, according to EFE. It was 8:45 p.m., and numerous witnesses alerted the police after hearing the crash and gunshots. The National Police are investigating the incident as a kidnapping. Investigators are working on the hypothesis that only one person was traveling in the rammed car, and that this person was the kidnapping victim. The three vehicles that intentionally rammed the car were high-end models and quickly fled the scene.

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It was 1:00 p.m. when the phone rang at the Sant Adrià de Besòs National Police station. On the other end of the call was a very upset woman. She said she was locked in an apartment in Badalona with a friend. Nervous, she described how a man, armed with a gun, was watching them and, at that moment, was sexually assaulting her friend. The woman hung up, and officers from the National Police and the Badalona Urban Guard immediately went to the apartment. It was August 14th, and this call marked the beginning of a police investigation that has led to the release of 18 women and the arrest of four people who were forcing them into prostitution.

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