James BryceDOZENS of expats could be affected after police swooped on Casares Town Hall to investigate irregularities in a property development.
A total of 236 properties, 19 vehicles and 165 bank accounts are being probed after the ex-mayor Juan Sanchez was arrested on fraud charges.
The current housing boss and his wife, plus a lawyer and a secretary at the town hall, have so far been arrested in the swoop, which is said to centre on the Majestic housing development.
Computers were seized from the town hall, while the former IU mayor is being probed over bribery, corruption, money laundering and town planning crimes.
He was yesterday taken to Alhaurin prison, after failing to secure bail of €200,000.
Police seized information regarding the ‘Majestic’ project, which first came under scrutiny in 2010.
The case dates back to 2004 when the town hall allegedly approved contracts for the development, in connection to the private sale of three fincas without public auction.
Casares Town Hall has been temporarily closed to the public with further searches being carried out in Marbella and Estepona.
Meanwhile the IU administration in the town admitted it was ‘surprised’ at the action.
Sanchez was mayor of the town from 1979 to 2009, with the exception of five years in the 1990s.
Here we go again.
it would now be newsworthy to write about a mayor who is not in jail , under suspicion or on bail …….