Dilip Kuner
THE mayor of Marbella has threatened legal action over claims she or her town hall are linked to the ongoing investigation into her husband and stepson’s alleged drug gang.
Angeles Muñoz insisted the prosecution for numerous crimes including drug trafficking, money laundering and corruption has no connection to her.
This is despite at least one of the 27 people facing trial at Madrid’s High Court being a Policia Local at Marbella town hall.
Rafael Gallego Guerrero, from Ronda, was one of the key members of the Swedish mafia group, regularly providing ‘restricted police information’ in return for cash.
According to Olive Press sources Gallego was also in charge of distributing many payments around the resort at the behest of stepson Joakim. He had previously been one of the mayor’s key bodyguards.
The mayor’s husband Lars Broberg, 80, and his son, Joakim, 49, were among 71 people arrested last year in a massive police operation, which spanned Brazil, Spain and Sweden.
Operacion Mueble (Furniture) launched in 2018 when Swedish authorities called in Spanish cops to help probe the gang, which was exporting large quantities of marijuana and other drugs from Andalucía to Sweden and other European countries.
Broberg senior, who ran the estate agent Wasa Consulting, in Centro Plaza, in Nueva Andalucia, was arrested in February 2021, while his son was detained in Brazil three months later.
Judge Castellon claims a sophisticated network of companies and financial advisors helped the Brobergs launder money through property, jewels and gold.
In particular, the group is accused of bribing PP officials in the three town halls of Estepona, Benahavis and Marbella to get what they wanted.
They also helped other friends and clients, including rich Russian oligarchs.
In one taped conversation, Joakim is heard by Spain’s crack Guardia Civil outfit UDEF bragging that he was with the town hall technician who had ‘got him the three licences in La Quinta’.
In a later conversation he is heard telling his business partner Mark Holmen ‘we have won’ with three key technicians in charge of licences.
“We now have the Junta de Andalucia. We have Marbella, We have Estepona. We have everything,” he says, adding: “The city is ours. Basically, we have the whole of f*g Andalucia.”
In conclusion, a police report ruled: “From the conversations intercepted the Swede had a big influence over decisions made by the town halls”.
Lars Broberg, who may escape trial due to ill health, faces a 14-year jail term for the two offences of which he is accused, one of which involves a €12m villa in the Marbella hills.
His son, Joakim, is accused of being ‘the boss in charge of maintaining contact’ between the suppliers (of drugs) in Morocco and the clients in northern Europe.
READ MORE:
- Dark side to the Costa del Sol: Why Marbella has become the perfect hideout for Swedish criminals
- The key players from the last 20 years of corruption on the Costa del Sol
