Staff Reporter
THE majority of British expats arrested in a massive drugs swoop in Magaluf worked as ‘on street PRs’ for local clubs and at a hairdressing salon.
The 10 Brits (eight pictured below) – including four women – were well known in Punta Ballena and openly bragged on social media about their work with local clubs and lap dancing bars, the Olive Press can reveal.
The group, who were picked up in Operation Tatum, had been supplying a huge range of drugs to the island’s party crowd.
Guardia Civil confirmed they had dismantled the gang to the ‘highest level’ in coordinated raids that snared over €100,000 in cash and huge quantities of drugs, worth over €150,000.
In total, police seized 3 kgs of cocaine, huge quantities of MDMA tablets, methamphetamines, hippy crack (nitrous oxide) and hashish, all set for distribution in and around Magaluf’s notorious party district, Punta Ballena.
It comes after the Olive Press reported last month how police got involved when one of the gang leaders was arrested following the ‘battering’ of one of his own gang.
An incredible €103,000 in cash, luxury watches and four top-end cars were also seized during 12 raids in Palma, Magaluf and Barcelona.
Six British men Derrick Lee Rushton, 28, Aaron Michael Harden, 32, Karl Clegg, 37, Lee Ryan Ford, 30, Dean Alexander Christie, 24, and Jamie Thomas Burton, 41 and four British women, Jessica Jean Rushton, 26, Meghan Lauren Tattershall, 22, Kerry-Anne Scott, 40 and Stephanie Margaret Morgan, 25, have all been charged, while they await trial.
Bail has been refused as they are deemed a flight risk by the judge.
Two other British men were released without charge and a Spaniard and a Dominican, both as yet unnamed, are still in custody.
Olive Press sources confirmed that the vast majority of the group worked on and off as ‘on-street PRs’ for Magaluf’s night-spots.
In many cases their Facebook pages confirmed it.
According to police this would give them easy, unhindered access to thousands of punters, without their legitimate bosses’ knowledge.
Two of those arrested Kerry-Anne Scott and Jamie Thomas had access to many partying holidaymakers through work at a well known local hairdressing and nail salon.
Meanwhile, Aaron Harden claims he was ‘PR manager for Baywatch in BCM square’, while Meghan Tattershall had done ‘PR for Secrets Lap Dance’.
Jessica Jean Rushton and Lee Ford, among others, also claim to have worked at party venues.
Operation Tatum involved wiretaps by the Guardia Civil’s specialised Organised Crime Unit (ECO), as well as canine units and helicopter surveillance.
It followed up July’s Operation Daju, where the Guardia Civil seized 4.8kgs of cocaine also set for distribution to holidaymakers, mostly by night-spot PR personnel known as ‘ticketeros’.
“We realised that although we had cut the supply of drugs (through Daju), the dealers remained active,” a Guardia Civil spokesperson explained.
“This investigation has dismantled their operation from its highest level, right down to streets.”
Interior Minister Juan Ignacio Zoido congratulated police, tweeting: “Congratulations to the Civil Guard for dismantling a gang selling cocaine in Magaluf. There are 14 detainees.”
