According to Spanish news reports this week, supplied by the GC, in La Linea some 450 Guardia Civil officers were involved in an operation where 40 Spaniards including one local was arrested. Also, 19 houses were also searched and 300, 000 euros were found suspected to be the proceeds of drugs, including vehicles, firearms and other luxury items so the report explained.

The press report which was detailed, did not mention any RGP involvement and was clearly directed at the huge drug and serious crime problem affecting this area of Spain, which is nothing new.

Two days later, the public in Gibraltar, were told the RGP is now involved and is part of this Spanish investigation as part of ongoing cross-border law enforcement cooperation in the fight against organized crime and money laundering.

The GC not the RGP who in their press statement yesterday, give a clear indication they formed part of this cross-border investigation with the Spanish authorities, but only acted it seems, on the suspicions of the GC only and not, as the other policing body, on the other side of the border who should not depend on GC suspicions only, but their own, to obtain search warrants in Gibraltar another jurisdiction, if they are really involved.

Where is the so-called shared information and intelligence if all this cross-border police cooperation has any meaning and what was transpired was that the RGP acted on Spanish police suspicion whether it was reasonable suspicion or not, did not appear so, when six local residences were searched and NO ARRESTS were made!

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03-07-2020 PANORAMAdailyGIBRALTAR