Thousands of Brits flock to Marbella every year(Image: (Image: Getty Images/LOOK))

Sun-soaked Spanish hotspot's dark criminal underworld exposed after mafia gangsters arrested

Marbella has long been a playground for the rich and famous but it has also become a hotspot for the world's toughest gangs with more than 100 criminal outfits operating in the area

by · The Mirror

Three members of a mafia-style gang have been arrested in a Spanish holiday hotspot loved by Brits – exposing its dark criminal underbelly.

Ciro Marigliano, Stanislao Marigliano, and Michele Sannino, alleged soldiers of the fierce Naples mafia syndicate, Camorra, were recently arrested in Marbella.

Italy's Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi declared: "The arrest of three dangerous fugitives represents a serious blow to organised crime, the result of careful investigative activity and extraordinary collaboration.

"The determination and high professionalism shown by the Naples police and the Spanish authorities once again highlight the State’s ability to effectively combat the most insidious criminal organisations."

But what is the region, which one detective dubbed the "United Nations of organised crime" really like?

Police in Spain have spent years working with international law enforcement agencies to combat organised crime( Image: (Image: Getty Images))

Mafia in Marbella

The province of Malaga, where glitzy Marbella resides, is said to be the stomping ground for 113 gangs spanning 59 countries. And here we delve into how the mafia maintains its ominous presence in this tourist hotspot. Despite their separate operations, these gangs are known to "sub-contract" amongst themselves, much to their illicit advantage.

European crime gangs are executing a labyrinthine drug trafficking operation connecting the continent with Colombia, as depicted in the blood-soaked Costa Del Sol underworld. The Irish Mirror has reported on the intricate web of alliances where Dutch and Belgian networks orchestrate cocaine consignments with Colombian cartels.

These cargos are then ferried across Europe by Camorra mobsters while Albanians and Kosovans provide weaponry and muscle, reports the Express.

Direct quotes from several gang figures paint a grim picture of this criminal syndicate. A seasoned member of the Camorra with long-standing roots in Marbella highlighted the diversity and collaboration within the criminal community.

He said: "There are groups from all over the world here. People of all different nationalities, doing all kinds of jobs. We don't intermix, but we're constantly collaborating."

Gang bosses are known to flaunt their wealth in Puerto Banus( Image: (Image: UIG via Getty Images))

A trafficker from Malaga confided to The Guardian about the daily dangers they face, stating that being ambushed by rival crews, known as vuelcos, is "much more common than a police raid". Yet, many outfits seek the Camorra's protection to safeguard their operations on the Spanish coast.

Adding to the unnerving revelations, a Camorra enforcer provided an insight into how these shadowy deals work. He said: "We guaranteed the success of the operation, and are paid in advance.

"Everyone knows that if something happens with the shipment, there will be consequences. If you try something, we'll kill you. Usually, the shipment has a GPS tracker. If at any point the signal disappears, we will kill you."

Bloodshed

While thousands of British tourists flood the shores of Costa Del Sol for their holidays, many remain blissfully unaware of the area's deep-seated gang warfare. Among countless chilling incidents, 2022 saw a corpse with toe holes unearthed in a storage unit which, according to one officer speaking to the Daily Mail, is considered mundane in this underworld.

He said: "In their world that's nothing abnormal."

Luxury shops at the exclusive yacht harbor of Puerto Banus, Marbella( Image: (Image: UIG via Getty Images))

In the same year, an apartment complex became the scene of a grisly discovery when a torture chamber was uncovered alongside a deceased male wrapped in clingfilm. Additionally, tourists were left reeling from a violent encounter at Opium Beach Club when gunfire and stabbing erupted after a dispute intensified.

Meanwhile, the Ndrangheta – an Italian mafia faction – faced a considerable setback in September 2022, as police detained 32 suspects. It's believed that the gang members resort to savage tactics like brute force and torture to enforce their rule and they faced arrest for drug trafficking and money laundering offenses.

In an extensive operation involving up to 500 law enforcement officials and backed by Europol, a significant quantity of narcotics was intercepted. Following the bust, a statement from Europol outlined: "The criminal gang is believed to have played an active role in cocaine and cannabis trafficking in between Spain and Italy, using vehicles equipped with hidden compartments and speedboats to transport the drugs.

"The members of this criminal organisation would routinely use violence, including torture, to further their criminal goals. Some of the arrestees are linked to a number of murders in Italy."