The Spanish cops have arrested a 29-year-old English man on suspicion of carrying out the “highest-value robbery” in Gibraltar’s history.
The unnamed suspect was reportedly arrested at the maritime border between Spain and Morocco as he tried to travel from the Spanish town of Tarifa in the Andalusia region to the port city of Tangier in Morocco.
He was arrested on suspicion of carrying out an armed robbery of a tobacco company located in the New Harbours Industrial State, stealing 1.5 million EUR (1,293,000 GBP) in a 25-minute raid which saw staff and security guards brutally beaten on 21 June 2017.
Local media report the culprits left behind several objects which allowed investigators to obtain their DNA. According to El Mundo, the suspect is English.
The suspect had been wanted by Interpol and two other men have already been sentenced in the crime. Fifty-three-year-old Rachid Behdaoui was sentenced to eight years and five months for conspiracy to rob after pleading guilty while Samir Douaui, 28, received three years and two months for his role in the crime.
Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Gibraltar Anthony Dudley described the crime at the time as the “highest-value robbery” in Gibraltar’s history.
Local media report the suspected is expected to be charged under section 398 (1) of the Crime act 2011 for armed robbery. He is also expected to be charged with evading justice.
It is unclear if he has been transferred to Gibraltar.
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Story By: Alex Cope, Sub-Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Central European News
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