15/12/2004 00:00
TW
0
Staff reporter THE Balearics is to have one of Spain's first anti-mafia public prosecutors as part of the new war on organised crime. The Attorney-General Cándido Conde-Pumpido yesterday named the first “anti-mafia” public prosecutors for the Balearics, Malaga and Alicante with their primary task being to crack down on Eastern European crime syndicates operating in these areas.


Cándido Conde-Pumpido said yesterday that, in order to launch the first phase of the new initiative, he has chosen the three areas of Spain where Eastern European gangs are most active.

In January, he will name the anti-mafia public prosecutors for Barcelona, Tenerife and Gran Canaria.
Here in the Balearics, Felipe Briones Vives has been nominated to the new post and his sole task will be dealing with organised crime.
However, the Attorney General also revealed that the public prosecution service in each of the three areas will be expanded in order to launch a tough crack down on money laundering.

Conde-Pumpido said yesterday that Eastern European mafias initially started using Spain as a place to come on holiday and invest, but lately they have started operating in Spain. He said while yesterday's announcement has not been sparked by last week's shooting in which a mother and child were killed, the incident was mafia related and proof of how active organised criminal gangs are in part of the country.

The new public prosecutors will be working in extremely close connection with the police.
The announcement comes just days after the Home Office announced that extra Guardia Civil and National Police are being deployed in the Balearics and along the east Mediterranean coast of Spain to combat organised crime, money laundering, arms trafficking and drugs smuggling.

A new regional intelligence centre is being set up in the Balearics to support the new anti-organised crime and terrorism Guardia Civil units which will be deployed to the region over the next few months.