Spanish National Police have dismantled a Serbian organised crime cell operating in the Costa del Sol, Campo de Gibraltar and the Levante region, while a “torture chamber” was also discovered in a luxury villa in Estepona. Inside the facility, police rescued two men who were allegedly kidnapped and tortured.
The incident occurred in the early hours of September 5, at around 01:05, following a call to the 091 number from the girlfriend of one of the kidnapped people. She told police that her partner had gone to an address at Nueva Atalaya 65 for a “suspicious job” and had asked her to call the police if he did not contact her within ten minutes.
When officers arrived at the villa, two masked men ran out of the building. Behind them, a beaten and bloodied man emerged from the kitchen door, calling for help and telling officers that he had been kidnapped and that the perpetrators wanted to kill him.
One of the suspects, Marko N., attempted to escape by climbing over the courtyard wall while carrying an object resembling a firearm. Filip J. was later arrested, while Zoran N. and Leon Y. were also detained in the operation. During the raid, police found AK-47 automatic rifles, which were allegedly used for security at the group's base.
Investigators discovered a torture chamber in one of the rooms of the villa. The walls were covered with plastic wrap, while inside they found a chair, plastic ties, a hammer, pliers, duct tape, a pistol with a silencer and other weapons. Ballistic experts are analyzing the weapons to determine whether they were used in armed clashes or other criminal incidents in the Marbella area.
According to investigative sources, the two victims, Miguel Angel and Hamza, also had criminal backgrounds. Police suspect they were part of the same group and were tortured as revenge for failing a previous task, which could have been related to the loss of a drug shipment or a debt.
In total, the Spanish authorities have arrested seven Serbian citizens. According to the police, none of them had a registered residence in Spain. During the operation and pursuit, three police officers were also injured. The arrested have been taken to the Alhaurín de la Torre prison, while investigations into the group's activities and use of weapons continue.
