HAPPY NEW YEAR
28 Dec 2017 - 3 Jan 2018
COSTA DE ALMERÍA
YOUR PAPER, YOUR VOICE, YOUR OPINION Photo by Guardia Civil
ISSUE NO. 1695
Bonus battle looms A REQUEST has been made to inspect the legality of bonuses paid by Mojacar mayor Rosa Maria Cano to council employees. Opposition parties estimate that the bonuses total €464,463 over the course of eight years. Councillors Jessica Simpson and Carlos Rodríguez, of Somos Mojacar, Manuel Zamora and Rosa Bartolome, of the PSOE, and Ascension Ramos of UM10, have asked for an extraordinary plenary session to discuss the payments. They would like the Andalucian Ombudsman to determine the legality of the bonuses, which they say were personally authorised by the mayor and dished out on a monthly basis. Meanwhile the mayor has had her hands full with next year ’s budget. Just over €11 million was approved for spending by the council, an increase of €900,000 on 2017. The mayor described the budget as realistic, balanced and able to meet all of Mojacar’s demands.
GREEN FINGERS: Police make major marihuana bust.
Drugs farm bust Armed growers held by Matthew Elliott Two Nijar residents were arrested as Guardia Civil officers uncovered 242 marihuana plants in a rural property. A revolver previously reported as stolen was also found by police. The two men, aged 44 and 34, face charges of drug growing, electricity fraud, theft and illegal weapons possession. Police found an elaborate installation used to siphon off electricity from the main grid. The power surge was used to help grow the plants inside. The property used was abandoned and did not belong to either man. Police scouting the
area became suspicious when they saw the doors had been forced open. They entered and quickly realised it was a crime scene. Moments later the two suspects re-
turned and confessed that they managed the site. One tried to claim the gun belonged to him but a search on the police database confirmed that the weapon was stolen.
BEST OF THE YEAR
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Serial burglar foiled A MAN suspected of 13 burglaries across Cuevas del Almanzora was arrested by the Guardia Civil. The vast majority of thefts were committed inside homes and tool sheds. The local resident, aged 41, is also charged with property damage and electricity theft. Guardia Civil officers had been pursuing the suspect for two months. They began investigating after receiving numerous complaints from local residents and noticing similarities in the reported cases. They began a surveillance operation in affected areas, gathered inside knowledge on the stolen goods trade from informers and were soon able to identify their man and location. Among the litany of charges is electricity theft. He plunged an entire neighbourhood into darkness when he ripped out and stole electrical wiring.