POLICE SUSPECT MORE STOLEN CARS ON THE ROADS

Palma's organised crime squad has arrested two men and smashed what is believed to have been an international luxury car scam. Police sources revealed yesterday that the arrests have come as the result of a lengthy under cover investigation launched last October in Germany and Palma. The two men, 33-year-old Pole Zbigniem Pawel and Swiss-Spaniard Francisco LL, both worked in a Puerto Portals restaurant, which was apparently being used as the safe house to make contact with prospective clients. But not only has the organised crime squad arrested the two men, but the unit has also seized a number of extremely valuable luxury vehicles. The majority of the vehicles including a Mercedes jeep and a luxury Chrysler, were stolen from Germany which is where police first started the investigation. It was eventually learnt that one of the destinations for the stolen vehicles was Majorca as the investigation spread its wings across Europe. The target market for the international car thieves was the foreign resident market. Police first tracked the two suspects down to the restaurant, itself set in the heart of the super luxury marina, where they worked on Monday. When officers made their move, they also caught the two men in the possession of a number of false number plates from Germany, France, Canada and Denmark. Police also found the Mercedes and the Chrysler - both of which had been stolen from Germany and brought to Spain for sale.