Joseph Patrick John Lagrue handed himself in at Solihull police station in September after the brawl between members of the Hell’s Angels and Outlaws biker gangs

<div></div><div><div class="span-47 colborder" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 8px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 8px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; width: 465px; float: left; border-right-style: solid; border-right-color: #cccccc; line-height: 18px; text-align: left; background-color: #ffffff; border: 0px initial initial;"><div class="span-47 last" style="font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; width: 465px; float: left; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><div class="article main" style="font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><div id="three-col" style="font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><div class="art-o art-align-right otm-1 " style="margin-top: 5px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 5px; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; float: right; clear: both; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><img alt="Joseph Lagrue " border="1" height="170" src="http://images.icnetwork.co.uk/upl/birmpost/nov2011/4/4/joseph-lagrue-462292311.jpg" style="font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;" title="Joseph Lagrue " width="150" /></div><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 5px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-size: 1.083em; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">One of Birmingham’s ‘Most Wanted’ crooks is facing justice over a battle between rival bikers at the airport in which one man nearly died.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 5px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-size: 1.083em; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Joseph Patrick John Lagrue handed himself in at Solihull police station in September after the brawl between members of the Hell’s Angels and Outlaws biker gangs in January 2008.<br /><br />Up to 30 people, some armed with hammers, machetes, knuckledusters, knives and a meat cleaver, were involved in the fight following a trip to Spain.<br /><br />Families of holidaymakers were forced to dive for cover as the violence swept through the terminal.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 5px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-size: 1.083em; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">A police source said Lagrue, 43, understood to be a member of the Outlaws, had played a “key role" in the violence.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 5px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-size: 1.083em; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">But he was not tracked down following the incident and, in January last year, detectives named him as ‘wanted’ and added his face to their website.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 5px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-size: 1.083em; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">A West Midlands Police spokesman said that following his arrest on September 27 he appeared before magistrates in Solihull charged with rioting.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 5px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-size: 1.083em; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">He has pleaded guilty to the offence and will be sentenced later this month.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 5px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-size: 1.083em; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">“Joseph Lagrue was wanted by police in connection since the investigation commenced and our efforts to track him down never ceased,” the spokesman said.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 5px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-size: 1.083em; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">“This was a significant disturbance played out in the full glare of a busy international airport terminal.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 5px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-size: 1.083em; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">"Families returning to Birmingham from their holidays were forced to take cover as two groups attacked each other with gratuitous violence.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 5px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-size: 1.083em; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">“Weapons were produced and used and there were a number of injuries.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 5px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-size: 1.083em; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">“The arrest of Joseph Lagrue brings this significant investigation to a close.”</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 5px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-size: 1.083em; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">The mob violence exploded near the arrivals hall of the airport after rival members discovered they were on the same flight from Alicante, in Spain.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 5px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-size: 1.083em; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Members of both gangs were met by associates, who provided them with weapons, as they arrived at the airport and began brawling in front of terrified families.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 5px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-size: 1.083em; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Several men were injured and one almost lost his life after suffering a serious head injury.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 5px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-size: 1.083em; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">In July 2009, Neil Harrison, then aged 46, of Bell Green Road, Coventry; Paul Arlett, then 35, of Cradley Road, Dudley; Mark Price, then 50, of Westbury Road, Nuneaton, Warwickshire; Sean Timmins, then 38, of Brewood Road in Coven, Staffordshire; Leonard Hawthorne, then 52, of Penn Road, Wolverhampton; Mark Moseley, then 46, of Orchard Rise, in Birmingham, and Jeremy Ball, then 46, of Plant Street, Cheadle, Staffordshire, were each jailed for six years after being convicted of rioting.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 5px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-size: 1.083em; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Another man, Mark Larner, then aged 47, of Tudor Road, Upper Gornal in the Black Country, fled to South Africa “with a substantial amount of money” before being sentenced. He later handed himself in to police in Bristol and was jailed in November 2009 for six years.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 5px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-size: 1.083em; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">A spokesman for the Crown Prosecution Service said Lagrue had pleaded guilty and was remanded in custody until later this month when he is due to be sentenced at Warwick Crown Court.</p></div></div></div></div><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 18px; text-align: left; background-color: #ffffff; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><br /><br /><br /></span></div>

Joseph Patrick John Lagrue handed himself in at Solihull police station in September after the brawl between members of the Hell’s Angels and Outlaws biker gangs

One of Birmingham’s ‘Most Wanted’ crooks is facing justice over a battle between rival bikers at the airport in which one man nearly died. J...

Read more »

The King of Spain’s son-in-law was at the centre of a corruption storm today as he came under investigation for siphoning off public money.

<p style="min-height: 1px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: left; background-color: #ffffff; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><br /></span></p><p style="min-height: 1px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; text-align: left; background-color: #ffffff; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span>Inaki Urdangarin - the husband of King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia's youngest daughter Infanta Cristina - </span><span>is suspected of misappropriating cash paid into an NGO.</span></p><p style="min-height: 1px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; text-align: left; background-color: #ffffff; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span>The former handball player now faces a possible interrogation by investigating judge Jose Castro  and risks causing huge embarrassment for the royals.</span></p><p style="min-height: 1px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; text-align: left; background-color: #ffffff; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span>It is claimed that his non-profit company, Instituto Noos, was given an enormous 2.3million euros (just under £2million) by </span><span>the Balearic Islands’ regional government </span><span>to organise two conferences on tourism and sport in 2005 and 2006. </span></p><p style="min-height: 1px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; text-align: left; background-color: #ffffff; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span>The judicial investigation is looking into whether the bills for the events were inflated and if the money ended up in private companies run by Urdangarin, who is Duke of Palma, the capital of Majorca.</span></p><p style="min-height: 1px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; text-align: left; background-color: #ffffff; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span>Urdangarin, 43, left Instituto Noos in 2006, months after the exorbitant sums paid by the Balearic government were revealed by the Socialist Party.</span></p><div class="relatedItemsTopBorder" style="min-height: 1px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; text-align: left; background-color: #ffffff; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"> </div><div class="relatedItems" style="min-height: 1px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; text-align: left; background-color: #ffffff; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><h4 style="min-height: 1px; font-size: 1em; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"></h4></div><p style="min-height: 1px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; text-align: left; background-color: #ffffff; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"> </p><p style="min-height: 1px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; text-align: left; background-color: #ffffff; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span>He said today: 'I cannot comment about on-going judicial proceedings.'</span></p><p style="min-height: 1px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; text-align: left; background-color: #ffffff; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span>The prosecution claims Urdangarin and his associate Diego Torres created a network of societies with which they diverted public and private funds received by </span><span>Instituto Noos</span><span>.</span></p><div class="thinCenter" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: auto; min-height: 1px; width: 470px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; text-align: left; background-color: #ffffff; padding: 0px;"><div class="thinArtSplitter" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><div class="splitLeft" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><img alt=" Inaki Urdangarin" class="blkBorder" height="423" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2011/11/10/article-2059868-0EBB6C5B00000578-237_224x423.jpg" style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 1px solid black;" width="224" /></div><div class="splitRight" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><img alt="Inaki Urdangarin" class="blkBorder" height="423" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2011/11/10/article-2059868-0002549F00000258-633_224x423.jpg" style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 1px solid black;" width="224" /></div></div><p class="imageCaption" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">Under suspicion: The former handball star is charged with creating a network of societies into which he diverted private and public funds</p></div><div class="thinCenter" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: auto; min-height: 1px; width: 470px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; text-align: left; background-color: #ffffff; padding: 0px;"><img alt="Regal scandal: Princess Cristina and Urdangarin (far right) pose with Spain's royal family King Juan Carlos, Queen Sofia, Crown Prince Felipe and wife Princess Letizia and Princess Elena" class="blkBorder" height="328" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2011/11/10/article-2059868-02A59EFE000004B0-398_468x328.jpg" style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 1px solid black;" width="468" /><p class="imageCaption" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">Regal scandal: Princess Cristina and Urdangarin (far right) pose with Spain's royal family King Juan Carlos, Queen Sofia, Crown Prince Felipe and wife Princess Letizia and Princess Elena</p></div><p style="min-height: 1px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; text-align: left; background-color: #ffffff; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span>They are under investigation for document falsification, corruption, fraud and embezzlement, and Torres’s home has been searched.</span></p><p style="min-height: 1px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; text-align: left; background-color: #ffffff; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span>The Royal Household expressed its 'absolute respect' for the legal decisions and added that it has 'nothing to say at this moment' as this is 'an investigation which must follow its course'.</span></p><p style="min-height: 1px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; text-align: left; background-color: #ffffff; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span>The Duke and Duchess, who married in 1997, now live in Washington, DC. The couple have four children. <br /></span></p><p style="min-height: 1px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; text-align: left; background-color: #ffffff; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span>Urdangarin played in Spain’s national handball team at three Olympic Games, captaining the side for Sydney 2000.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; text-align: left; background-color: #ffffff;"><br /><br /><br /></span></p>

The King of Spain’s son-in-law was at the centre of a corruption storm today as he came under investigation for siphoning off public money.

Inaki Urdangarin - the husband of King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia's youngest daughter Infanta Cristina -  is suspected of misappropriat...

Read more »

James Murdoch giving evidence for a second time to the MPs' select committee

<p><div id="main-content-picture" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 14px; margin-left: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; background-color: #ffffff; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding: 0px;"><img alt="james murdoch phone hacking" height="276" src="http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/About/General/2011/11/10/1320931219985/james-murdoch-phone-hacki-007.jpg" style="border-collapse: collapse; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;" width="460" /><div class="caption" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #666666; font-size: 12px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">James Murdoch giving evidence for a second time to the MPs' select committee, during which he claimed News of the World's former editor Tom Myler and lawyer Tom Crone did not tell him about 'widespread criminality' at the newspaper. Photograph: AFP/Getty</div></div><div id="article-body-blocks" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; background-color: #ffffff; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #005689;"><span style="background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat;">James Murdoch</span></span> has accused the <span style="color: #005689;"><span style="background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat;">News of the World</span></span>'s former editor and senior lawyer of not telling him about suggestions of wider phone hacking at the newspaper in 2008.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding: 0px;"> </p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding: 0px;">Giving evidence for the second time about the News of the World phone-hacking scandal before MPs on the Commons culture, media and sport committee, Murdoch insisted that the context of the bombshell "for Neville" email was withheld from him by <span style="color: #005689;"><span style="background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat;">Colin Myler</span></span> and <span style="color: #005689;"><span style="background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat;">Tom Crone</span></span> when they discussed the payout to Gordon Taylor, the Professional Footballers' Association chief, in June 2008.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding: 0px;"> </p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding: 0px;">Murdoch, who oversees the now-defunct News of the World's publisher News International as <span style="color: #005689;"><span style="background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat;">News Corporation</span></span>'s deputy chief operating officer, told MPs that Crone and Myler had misled parliament with their testimony in the summer.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding: 0px;"> </p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding: 0px;">Crone, the former head of legal at the Sunday red-top, said in a written letter to the committee earlier this week that recently published emails appear to show that Murdoch knew about the "for Neville" email in May 2008 – more than two years before he maintains he was told about widespread hacking at the paper.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding: 0px;"> </p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding: 0px;">"After the resignation of [former News of the World editor Andy] Coulson, [former News International chairman Les] Hinton brought Myler in to clean things up and bring newspaper forward," Murdoch told MPs. "If he had known that there was wider-spread criminality I think he should have told me."</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding: 0px;"> </p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding: 0px;">He later insisted that Myler and Crone did not "discuss elements of widespread criminality" with him in the 2008 meetings. He added that previous evidence given to the committee by Crone and Myler was "inconsistent and not right".</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding: 0px;"> </p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding: 0px;">Murdoch said: "I've had time to reflect on all of these events and it is appropriate to reflect and to think that the whole company is humbled by this and learn why we couldn't get to grips with it as fast as we would have liked."</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding: 0px;"> </p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding: 0px;">In a fractious and detailed line of questioning halfway into the session, Labour MP Tom Watson revealed that he had met the former NoW chief reporter Neville Thurlbeck on Thursday morning immediately before the hearing and he had told him that Crone had intended to show Murdoch the "for Neville" email in May 2008.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding: 0px;"> </p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding: 0px;">The "for Neville" in the subject line of the email in question is believed to refer to Thurlbeck. He maintains that he was not involved in or aware of phone hacking at the News of the World.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding: 0px;"> </p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding: 0px;">Watson quoted Thurlbeck as saying: "This is not some vague memory, I was absolutely on a knife edge. Tom took it to him. The following week I said 'did you show him the email?' He said 'yes I did'. Now he can't remember whether he showed it to Mr Murdoch or not."</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding: 0px;"> </p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding: 0px;">Murdoch replied: "I remember what I was told at the time and I was not told at the time."</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding: 0px;"> </p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding: 0px;">Ending his questioning, Watson likened News International to the mafia and asked Murdoch whether he had every heard of the phrase "omertà", which means a mafia vow of silence.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding: 0px;"> </p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding: 0px;">An audibly irritated Murdoch replied that he had not. Watson then accused the News Corp executive of being "the first mafia boss in history" who did not know what was going on in his organisation.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding: 0px;"> </p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding: 0px;">Murdoch responded by telling Watson, who has persistently pursued News Corp over the phone-hacking scandal for the past two years, he thought the comment was "inappropriate".</p></div></p>

James Murdoch giving evidence for a second time to the MPs' select committee

James Murdoch giving evidence for a second time to the MPs' select committee, during which he claimed News of the World's former edi...

Read more »

A Romanian man wanted for murder and robbery in Portugal has been arrested in Torre del Mar.

<p><span class="index_summary" style="margin-top: 15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left; background-color: #ffffff; padding: 0px;">27 year old from Romania escaped to Spain after he was sentenced for the death of a woman who was killed in Portugal in 2005</span></p><div class="img-desc2" style="position: relative; width: 300px; float: right; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left; background-color: #ffffff; padding: 0px; margin: 10px;"><img align="left" alt="EFE archive" class="piclarge" src="http://www.typicallyspanish.com/spain/uploads/5/National_Police_Car_12.jpg" style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 2px solid #e5e9f9;" width="300" /><span class="summary_cap" style="color: white; font-size: 1em; line-height: 1em; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><cite style="background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #111111; opacity: 0.55; bottom: 1px; position: absolute; left: 1px; width: 290px; padding: 5px; margin: 0px;">EFE archive<a href="http://www.typicallyspanish.com/spain/uploads/5/National_Police_Car_12.jpg" rel="milkbox[gall1]" style="color: #035a89; text-decoration: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;" title="EFE archive"><br style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;" /><img alt="enlarge photo" border="0" src="http://www.typicallyspanish.com/images/mag.png" style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;" /></a></cite></span></div><p><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; background-color: #ffffff;"> </span><br style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left; background-color: #ffffff; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;" /><br style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left; background-color: #ffffff; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;" /><br style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left; background-color: #ffffff; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;" /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left; background-color: #ffffff;">Named by El Mundo newspaper as 27 year old Ioan R., he fled to Spain after a Portuguese court sentenced him to 15 and a half years in prison for the death of a woman in 2005. The victim was smothered to death in her bed during the course of a robbery.</span><br style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left; background-color: #ffffff; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;" /><br style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left; background-color: #ffffff; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;" /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left; background-color: #ffffff;">The wanted man was traced to the Axarquía district of Málaga province and was arrested near a bar in Torre del Mar on November 4. He has now been transferred into the custody of the National Court for extradition to Portugal.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left; background-color: #ffffff; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><br style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;" /><br style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;" />Read more: <a href="http://www.typicallyspanish.com/news/publish/article_32623.shtml#ixzz1dJgywORG" style="color: #003399; text-decoration: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">http://www.typicallyspanish.com/news/publish/article_32623.shtml#ixzz1dJgywORG</a></span></p>

A Romanian man wanted for murder and robbery in Portugal has been arrested in Torre del Mar.

27 year old from Romania escaped to Spain after he was sentenced for the death of a woman who was killed in Portugal in 2005 EFE archive   N...

Read more »

Nigerian scam case deflates in Málaga

<p> </p><p>Nilo Case has reached court in Málaga, judging the largest ever swindle carried out mostly by Nigerians who sent out letters to try and capture their victims. Under the scam thousands of letters were sent from Málaga around the world, informing their recipients that they had won a prize in the Spanish lottery, and calling for them to pay a management fee so they could receive their winnings. There are 247 known victims of the fraud from Belgium to Australia and in the United States and even the UAE. The network collected 2.98 million € in ‘management fees’, via phone booth businesses on the Costa del Sol. 168 people from 14 countries were accused in the case, but the procedure was deflated somewhat on the first day on Wednesday when 55 of the accused could not be located by the court to serve them with the summons to appear. Of the 113 remaining, plea bargains were established with 87 to give them 23 months and 15 days in jail and a 1,800 fine each. That means that if they have no previous record, they will not have to go to prison, just having to pay the fine. Another group of just 16 refused to accept the plea deal, which implies them admitting their guilt, and they will be called back for the oral hearing of the case which will start on December 15. During the instruction of the case 84 people found to be in Spain illegally were deported back to Nigeria.</p>

Nigerian scam case deflates in Málaga

  Nilo Case has reached court in Málaga, judging the largest ever swindle carried out mostly by Nigerians who sent out letters to try and ca...

Read more »

John Philip Stirling, 60, is in a Florida jail after U.S. authorities allegedly seized 400 kilograms of cocaine from his vessel

<div id="imageBox" class="imagesize460" style="font-family: arial, verdana, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 11px; float: left; width: 620px; margin-bottom: 20px; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: #e5e5e5; position: relative; text-align: left; background-color: #ffffff;"><div class="wrapper_0_10_0_0" style="float: left; padding: 0px;"><div class="storyimage" style="border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: #e5e5e5; padding-bottom: 5px;"><a href="http://www.theprovince.com/news/flamboyant+boisterous+dealer+sent+Florida+jail/5678592/story.html" style="color: #035a91; font-family: arial; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; border: initial none initial;"><img alt="Phil Stirling, shown here in 2000, told U.S. authorities there&#8217;s nothing wrong with cocaine trafficking, and said the States should mind its own business." border="0" class="thumbnail" id="storyphoto" src="http://www.theprovince.com/news/5678593.bin" style="width: 460px; border: initial none initial;" title="Phil Stirling, shown here in 2000, told U.S. authorities there&#8217;s nothing wrong with cocaine trafficking, and said the States should mind its own business." /></a></div><div class="clear" style="font-size: 1px; clear: both; height: 1px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; margin-top: -1px;"> </div><div class="imagetext" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 3px; margin-left: 0px; color: #7b7b7b; line-height: 14px; width: 460px;"><h1 id="photocaption" style="margin-top: 5px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-size: 11px; font-weight: normal; width: 460px; padding: 0px;">Phil Stirling, shown here in 2000, told U.S. authorities there’s nothing wrong with cocaine trafficking, and said the States should mind its own business.</h1><h2 id="photocredit" style="margin-top: 5px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; font-size: 11px; font-weight: normal; padding: 0px;"><strong>Photograph by: </strong>RIC ERNST, PNG</h2></div></div></div><div id="page1" style="font-family: arial, verdana, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: left; background-color: #ffffff;"><p>A self-described drug smuggler who walked away unscathed from two high-profile drug busts in B.C. has landed himself in hot water south of the border.</p><p>John Philip Stirling, 60, is in a Florida jail after U.S. authorities allegedly seized 400 kilograms of cocaine from his vessel on Oct. 18.</p><p>According to U.S. court documents, Stirling, in an unprompted outburst while being transported to a detention centre, said there was nothing wrong with cocaine trafficking and that the U.S. should mind its own business.</p><p>“He further remarked that if Canada didn’t have such high taxes, they could get legitimate jobs,” said the affidavit.</p><p>Stirling’s defiant comments did not come as a surprise to retired RCMP Sgt. Pat Convey, who spent years chasing the man.</p><p>“That sounds like our man, Mr. Stirling,” said Convey, reached at his Vancouver Island home.</p><p>Stirling was a “big, flamboyant, boisterous guy who enjoyed taking chances,” said Convey. “That’s what he was about. He was a drug trafficker. I think he’s been that all his life.”</p><p>Stirling — who had admitted to <em>The Province</em> in 2002 that he started smuggling dope when he was 16 — was skippering the <em>Atlantis V</em> when it was spotted on a routine patrol by the U.S. Coast Guard about 400 kilometres north of Colombia on Oct. 17.</p><p>When inspectors boarded the ship, they allegedly found 358 packages of drugs — mostly cocaine, but also some heroin and methamphetamines.</p><p>Stirling and his crew — fellow Canadians Thomas Arthur Henderson and Randy Wilfred Theriault, Colombian Jose Manuel Calvo Herrera and Italian Luigi Barbaro — were arrested and charged.</p><p>According to Barbaro’s statement, the ship departed from Santa Marta, Colombia, and was headed to Australia.</p><p>Stirling, who was sentenced to five years in jail in the 1980s on cocaine-related charges, had been arrested twice before in similar circumstances.</p><p>In a highly publicized case, Stirling was caught by U.S. authorities off Washington’s Cape Alava in 2001 with 2½ tonnes of cocaine, worth more than $250 million, aboard the <em>Western Wind</em>.</p><p>He was turned over to the Canadians. Later, he claimed he was an RCMP informant and that he was transporting the cocaine for the Hells Angels. No charges were laid.</p><p>Stirling was again arrested in 2006 after authorities found 155 bales of marijuana aboard a vessel near Vancouver Island. The charges were stayed.</p><p>Convey believes Stirling might finally get the reckoning he has eluded in Canada.</p><p>“The Americans play a different game from us, and quite frankly, our system leaves a hell of a lot to be desired,” he said.</p><p>“If they proceed with the case and they got him with the many hundred kilos [of cocaine], he’s going in for a long time.”</p></div><p><span style="font-family: arial, verdana, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: left; background-color: #ffffff;"><br /><br /><br /></span></p>

John Philip Stirling, 60, is in a Florida jail after U.S. authorities allegedly seized 400 kilograms of cocaine from his vessel

  Phil Stirling, shown here in 2000, told U.S. authorities there’s nothing wrong with cocaine trafficking, and said the States should mind i...

Read more »

Brodie Clark, the £135,000-a-year head of the UK Border Force, approached the Home Secretary’s office for permission to weaken passport checks

<p><p style="min-height: 1px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; text-align: left; background-color: #ffffff; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span>Whistleblowers last night blamed the latest border checks scandal on an official obsession with cutting queuing times at the nation’s air and sea ports.</span></p><p style="min-height: 1px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; text-align: left; background-color: #ffffff; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span>Staff spoke out following the explosive revelations that a senior UK Border Agency official had secretly abandoned checks on passports and even anti-terror watch lists for non-EU citizens.</span></p><p style="min-height: 1px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; text-align: left; background-color: #ffffff; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span>Theresa May will today give an emergency statement on the fiasco to MPs, which has led to the establishment of three inquiries.</span></p><div class="thinCenter" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: auto; min-height: 1px; width: 470px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; text-align: left; background-color: #ffffff; padding: 0px;"><img alt="Suspended: Brodie Clarke is now facing the sack after claims that he relaxed passport checks" class="blkBorder" height="390" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2011/11/06/article-2058379-0EB2592300000578-178_468x390.jpg" style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 1px solid black;" width="468" /><p class="imageCaption" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">Suspended: Brodie Clarke is now facing the sack after claims that he relaxed passport checks</p></div><p style="min-height: 1px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; text-align: left; background-color: #ffffff; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span>Investigators are examining allegations that Brodie Clark, the £135,000-a-year head of the UK Border Force, approached the Home Secretary’s office for permission to weaken passport checks during the busy summer months. Senior figures say he was explicitly told ‘No’ in writing – but then went ‘rogue’ and implemented the proposal anyway.</span></p><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; text-align: left; background-color: #ffffff;"><br /><br /></span></p>

Brodie Clark, the £135,000-a-year head of the UK Border Force, approached the Home Secretary’s office for permission to weaken passport checks

Whistleblowers last night blamed the latest border checks scandal on an official obsession with cutting queuing times at the nation’s air an...

Read more »

Body found in search for Dublin drug addict killed over $4,000 gang debt

<p> </p><p>Irish police have recovered the body of a drug addict murdered over a debt of just a few thousand dollars. Ciaran Noonan, a 29-year-old father of one, was abducted near his East Wall home in Dublin on October 20th. His body was discovered in a ditch on farmland five miles from the Meath town of Trim on Friday night. Noonan’s family visited the site and laid flowers after the body was removed and taken to Tallaght hospital for a post mortem. Police believe Noonan was beaten to death after he was snatched in broad daylight on Russell Avenue in the East Wall. A priest in County Meath received a phone call last week with information about the location of the addict’s body. Speaking to the media, officers outlined their belief that Noonan was killed over a small drug debt to a Dublin gang, believed to be no more than $4,000. The gang had forced Noonan to collect money from other addicts in the north inner city but it is believed he used the money to feed his own habit and ran foul of the gang’s notorious leader. Noonan was heard shouting "I’m dead" as he was hit with an iron bar and dragged into the back of a car. Officers believe the gang intended to beat Noonan severely to force him or his family to pay his drug debt but the punishment beating went horribly wrong. Two women, arrested on suspicion of withholding evidence relating to the kidnapping, have been released without charge. Noonan’s mother Geraldine told reporters: “We had hoped that Ciaran would be found alive. At least now we can give him a funeral.”</p>

Body found in search for Dublin drug addict killed over $4,000 gang debt

  Irish police have recovered the body of a drug addict murdered over a debt of just a few thousand dollars. Ciaran Noonan, a 29-year-old f...

Read more »

Newfoundlanders arrested in RCMP drug bust

<p> </p><p>Two people from Newfoundland and Labrador have been arrested in an interprovincial drug bust against the Hells Angels motorcycle club. The accused are 41-year-old Scott Hutchings from Bell Island and Jocelyn Dunn, 26, from St. John's. The pair have been charged with conspiracy to traffic cocaine. They were both arrested on Friday afternoon in St. John’s. They were taken in a bust dubbed "Operation Longridge," which was led by the Ontario Provincial Police. According to a press release issued by the RCMP on Saturday the operation was “targeting members and associates of (an) outlaw motorcycle gang, specifically the Hells Angels Kitchener, Ontario chapter.” The release went on to state that Hutchings and Dunn were arrested in an undercover operation by the RCMP St. John’s Drug Section in cooperation with the Ontario Biker Enforcement Unit. In addition to arresting the two suspects police also seized $50,000 and an unreleased quantity of anabolic steroids. There were more arrests connected to this case made in Ontario but it is unclear at this time how many there were in total. Hutchings and Dunn will appear again in court on Monday.</p>

Newfoundlanders arrested in RCMP drug bust

  Two people from Newfoundland and Labrador have been arrested in an interprovincial drug bust against the Hells Angels motorcycle club. The...

Read more »

Montreal criminal lawyer Gilles Doré — who has represented alleged Hells Angels — is in hospital with serious injuries

<div id="leadmedia" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 11px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: url(http://www.cbc.ca/i/gfx/loading.gif); background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #ffffff; float: right; clear: both; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; background-position: 50% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><div class="leadimage full" style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; max-width: 620px; width: 620px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><img alt="Montreal criminal lawyer Gilles Doré. " src="http://www.cbc.ca/gfx/images/news/photos/2011/11/05/li-gilles-dore.jpg" style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;" /><em class="caption" style="padding-top: 9px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; float: right; font-style: normal; font-size: 11px; color: #565656; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: #c4c4c4; width: 620px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin: 0px;">Montreal criminal lawyer Gilles Doré.</em></div></div><div id="storymiddle" style="padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 10px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #ffffff; width: 140px; float: right; clear: right; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><div id="sharecount" class="sclt-share" style="padding-top: 12px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 12px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 5px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: #000000; visibility: visible; margin: 0px;"><div class="gig-bar-container gig-share-bar-container" style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><span style="color: #4d4d4d; font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></div></div><div id="storyextra" class="digdeeper" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><div id="intlinks" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 5px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: -webkit-gradient(linear, 0% 0%, 0% 100%, from(#000000), to(#ffffff)); background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px initial initial;"><h4 style="padding-top: 8px; padding-right: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 10px; border-top-width: initial; border-right-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: initial; border-left-width: 1px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #f7f8f9; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2em; border-right-style: solid; border-left-style: solid; border-right-color: #e1e1e1; border-left-color: #e1e1e1; border-top-style: none; border-top-color: initial; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-color: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin: 0px;"></h4></div></div></div><div id="storybody" style="padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 160px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; line-height: 1.35em; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 14px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Montreal criminal lawyer Gilles Doré — who has represented alleged Hells Angels — is in hospital with serious injuries after being assaulted outside his home.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 14px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">According to Radio-Canada, the 58-year-old lawyer was violently beaten outside his house in Montreal's tony Outremont neighbourhood Friday evening.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 14px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Without confirming his identity, police said the victim was found lying on the ground outside his house near Glendale and Pratt Avenues.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 14px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">The victim was in a coma but later regained consciousness and was able to speak with detectives.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 14px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Police have no suspects.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 14px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Doré rose to prominence a decade ago when he defended high-ranking Hells members involved in Quebec's notorious 2002 mega-trial.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 14px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">That mega-trial ended with the murder conviction of <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/story/2010/10/25/mom-boucher-attacked.html" style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; text-decoration: none; color: #115278; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;" target="_blank">Maurice "Mom" Boucher</a>, alleged biker kingpin.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 14px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Doré also represents several presumed Hells bikers arrested two years ago in a <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/story/2009/04/16/operation-sharqc-hellsangels-0416.html" style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; text-decoration: none; color: #115278; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;" target="_blank">massive dragnet</a> against organized crime.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 14px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">The bust, known as Operation SharkQC, netted more than 100 arrests, including dozens of full-patch members of the notorious biker network, according to police.</p></div>

Montreal criminal lawyer Gilles Doré — who has represented alleged Hells Angels — is in hospital with serious injuries

Montreal criminal lawyer Gilles Doré. Montreal criminal lawyer Gilles Doré — who has represented alleged Hells Angels — is in hospital with ...

Read more »

Read more »

Ricky Martin and Benicio del Toro now have Spanish nationality.

<p><span class="index_summary" style="margin-top: 15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left; padding: 0px;">The concessions were granted by the Spanish cabinet on Friday</span><div class="img-desc2" style="position: relative; width: 300px; float: right; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left; padding: 0px; margin: 10px;"><img align="left" alt="Benicio del Toro and Ricky Martin - Archive photos EFE" class="piclarge" src="http://www.typicallyspanish.com/spain/uploads/5/beniciodeltoroandrickymartin.jpg" style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 2px solid #e5e9f9;" width="300" /><span class="summary_cap" style="color: white; font-size: 1em; line-height: 1em; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><cite style="background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #111111; opacity: 0.55; bottom: 1px; position: absolute; left: 1px; width: 290px; padding: 5px; margin: 0px;">Benicio del Toro and Ricky Martin - Archive photos EFE<a href="http://www.typicallyspanish.com/spain/uploads/5/beniciodeltoroandrickymartin.jpg" rel="milkbox[gall1]" style="color: #035a89; text-decoration: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;" title="Benicio del Toro and Ricky Martin - Archive photos EFE"><br style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;" /><img alt="enlarge photo" border="0" src="http://www.typicallyspanish.com/images/mag.png" style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;" /></a></cite></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;"> </span><br style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;" /><br style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;" /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">Ricky Martin and Benicio del Toro now have Spanish nationality. The news of the concession was given by the Government on Friday to the artists who were both born in Puerto Rico. </span><br style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;" /><br style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;" /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">Spokesman José Blanco made the announcement after the Friday cabinet meeting.</span><br style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;" /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">He said that the two ‘recognised in different artistic facets’ wanted to share their Spanish nationality with all the Spanish people and therefore the Government congratulated them for it.</span><br style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;" /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">There is widespread speculation that the decision will allow Ricky Martin to marry his boyfriend, the economist Carlos González, in Spain.</span><br style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;" /><br style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;" /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">Also granted nationality on Friday was Yisi Pérez, wife of the El País journalist, Mauricio Vicent, whose accreditation as a correspondent in Cuba was removed by the Cuban authorities. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><br style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;" /><br style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;" />Read more: <a href="http://www.typicallyspanish.com/news/publish/article_32580.shtml#ixzz1cmPtmd1C" style="color: #003399; text-decoration: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">http://www.typicallyspanish.com/news/publish/article_32580.shtml#ixzz1cmPtmd1C</a></span></p>

Ricky Martin and Benicio del Toro now have Spanish nationality.

The concessions were granted by the Spanish cabinet on Friday Benicio del Toro and Ricky Martin - Archive photos EFE   Ricky Martin and Beni...

Read more »

Ricky Martin granted Spanish citizenship

<p> </p><p>Puerto Rican pop singer Ricky Martin was given Spanish citizenship today, the country’s government said. The star, who came out in 2009 reportedly wants to take advantage of Spain’s gay marriage laws. Spokesman Jose Blanco told a news conference that ministers had agreed to grant him a “letter of naturalization”, issued in special circumstances, because of his “personal and professional links with Spain”. Spanish newspaper El Pais reported that Martin sought citizenship in order to marry boyfriend Carlos Gonzalez Abella, with whom he is bringing up his twin three-year-old sons. Spain passed legislation allowing same-sex marriages in 2005, only the third country to do so at the time, with 20,000 gay couples entering into marriage since. Appearing on the Larry King show last year, he had said: “I would get married… There are many countries around the world where same-sex marriage is a right. Not in Puerto Rico, unfortunately. And not in many states in America. “Yes, we could go to Spain and get married. We can go to Argentina and get married. But why do we have to go somewhere else? Why can’t I do it in my country where the laws are – you know, protecting me?” He added: “I can go to Spain. I have many friends in Spain. And get married. And make it very beautiful and symbolic. But… I [can't] do it in the backyard of my house. I want to have that option. I don’t want to be a second class citizen anymore. I pay my taxes. Why can’t I have that right?</p>

Ricky Martin granted Spanish citizenship

  Puerto Rican pop singer Ricky Martin was given Spanish citizenship today, the country’s government said. The star, who came out in 2009 r...

Read more »

Robert Dawes was finally arrested in Dubai on an international warrant but is now living free on the Costa del Sol.

<p> </p><p><div id="main-content-picture" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 14px; margin-left: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; background-color: #ffffff; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding: 0px;"><img alt="Robert Dawes " height="276" src="http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2011/11/4/1320424072221/Robert-Dawes--007.jpg" style="border-collapse: collapse; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;" width="460" /><div class="caption" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #666666; font-size: 12px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"></div></div><div id="article-body-blocks" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; background-color: #ffffff; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding: 0px;">For five years a man named in a British court as "the general" has been pursued by detectives in a multimillion-pound operation.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding: 0px;">Over the past decade Robert Dawes has moved from a two-up, two-down terraced house on an estate outside Nottingham to a base in Dubai and finally to a villa on the Costa del Sol.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/police" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #005689; text-decoration: none; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;" title="More from guardian.co.uk on Police">Police</a> believe he has left a trail of destruction as one of the heads of a<a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/ukcrime" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #005689; text-decoration: none; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;" title="More from guardian.co.uk on Crime">crime</a> syndicate that flooded the UK with millions of pounds of cocaine, heroin and cannabis. He has been identified in nine UK investigations involving large scale shipments.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding: 0px;">Dawes is wanted in the Netherlands in connection with the murder of a teacher, Gerard Meesters; in <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/spain" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #005689; text-decoration: none; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;" title="More from guardian.co.uk on Spain">Spain</a>, where police have identified him as "the boss of an important English drug trafficking organisation"; and in the UK, where Nottinghamshire detectives are seeking him over the alleged commissioning of the murder of David Draycott in October 2002.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding: 0px;">So when investigators from the Serious Organised Crime Agency, working with Spain's Guardia Civil, had Dawes secured in a Madrid prison this spring to face trial over the seizure of 200kg of cocaine, the belief was that the reign of a man described by Soca as a "highly significant international criminal" had ended.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding: 0px;">But the Guardian has discovered that Spanish judges have been forced to drop the trial and free 39-year-old Dawes because the British authorities had failed to respond for months to a request for assistance.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding: 0px;">Dawes is now back in his enormous villa near Benalmádena on the Costa del Sol with his wife and three children, enjoying his freedom.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding: 0px;">After Dawes's release a few weeks ago, the Spanish courts issued a statement which made clear their hand had been forced by the failure of the British to respond to a request for documents sent in April through the highest diplomatic channels.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding: 0px;">"The provincial court in Madrid has revoked the indictment of Robert Dawes ... and so he is at liberty," the statement said. "The magistrates ... understand that... it is necessary to wait for a response from the Commission of Dubai, with reference to the searches in the case, and, above all, the Commission of the United Kingdom.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding: 0px;">"When the judicial authorities of those countries respond with evidence the case will be taken up again, but neither of the two commissions has yet commented and there is no indication of when they might do so."</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding: 0px;">Soca officials have been left embarrassed by the bureaucratic bungling. They say the request via a letter rogatory – the official method of requesting assistance between countries – was only received by the Home Office in August before being forwarded on to them in the same month.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding: 0px;">The letter rogatory was sent to the Home Office via Eurojust, an organisation based in The Hague that is supposed to speed up co-operation on major criminal investigations between EU countries.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding: 0px;">Asked by the Guardian this week about the case, Soca officials said they were planning to send an official to hand deliver the documents. A spokesman said: "We are supporting this Spanish-led investigation. Upon receipt of their request for evidence we took immediate action, in conjunction with the Crown Prosecution Service, to collate the material required.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding: 0px;">"This process must take into account various legal and operational issues but it is Soca's intention to provide the material to the Spanish at the very earliest opportunity."</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding: 0px;">But it is not the first time that Dawes has slipped through the net, and some of his former associates have refused to co-operate with the authorities in the past because they believed he was an "asset" who was being protected.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding: 0px;">Dawes grew up on the Leamington estate in Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire, and is thought to have began his criminal career in the 1990s working as an enforcer. By 2000 his name was cropping up in investigations from Scotland to London, where he is known to have associated with some of the UK's most notorious crime syndicates including the London-based Adams family.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding: 0px;">By this time Dawes and his brother John – later jailed for 24 years for drug dealing and money laundering – had allegedly moved into large scale shipments of heroin, cocaine, amphetamines and cannabis.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding: 0px;">In the Netherlands he became known in thousands of phone taps carried out by Dutch police as the "Derbyman".</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding: 0px;">In 2001, fearing the police net was closing in, Dawes left the UK for the Mijas Costa area of Spain – but could not resist making fleeting trips back to his old estate where he still owned two terraced houses that had been knocked together.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding: 0px;">Soca began Operation Halbert in 2006 to target Dawes and his lieutenants. In August 2007 they seized £13m worth of <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/drugs" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #005689; text-decoration: none; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;" title="More from guardian.co.uk on Drugs">drugs</a> including 65kg of heroin in a major raid in Ruddington, Nottinghamshire. A month later, after receiving intelligence from Soca, officers from the Guardia Civil drug unit seized almost 200kg of cocaine just outside Madrid that was allegedly linked to Dawes.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding: 0px;">But by then Dawes had fled Spain to set up a base in Dubai. He was eventually extradited in April this year to face trial in Madrid until his release by the Spanish a few weeks ago.</p></div></p>

Robert Dawes was finally arrested in Dubai on an international warrant but is now living free on the Costa del Sol.

  For five years a man named in a British court as "the general" has been pursued by detectives in a multimillion-pound operation....

Read more »

Belizean Bloods have been charged with drug trafficking and passport fraud

<p> </p><p>Two dozen members of a Chicago street gang have been charged with drug trafficking and passport fraud, the U.S. Department of Justice said Thursday. The charges against the members of the Belizean Bloods street gang, said to operate in Chicago and Evanston, Ill., were contained in an indictment unsealed in U.S. District Court in Chicago, a release said. The charges arise from two coordinated investigations that included agents from multiple federal law enforcement agencies as well as the Chicago and Evanston Police Departments, the department said. In 2009, the Chicago Field Office of the U.S. State Department's Diplomatic Security Service began investigating alleged passport fraud by Belizean nationals, while at the same time the FBI and Evanston and Chicago police were investigating alleged narcotics trafficking by suspected members of the Belizean Bloods</p>

Belizean Bloods have been charged with drug trafficking and passport fraud

  Two dozen members of a Chicago street gang have been charged with drug trafficking and passport fraud, the U.S. Department of Justice said...

Read more »

Arrests of Mexican drug cartel leaders in Texas raise concerns

<p> </p><p>The recent arrests of three alleged drug gang leaders from Mexico and the shooting of a sheriff's deputy in South Texas are raising fears among some Lone Star State officials that the brutal drug wars plaguing Mexico are taking hold north of the Rio Grande. On Sunday, Deputy Hugo Rodriguez of Hidalgo County in the southern tip of Texas was shot several times when he pulled over a vehicle containing a person kidnapped by members of Mexico's Gulf Cartel, County Sheriff Lupe Trevino said. Rodriguez's bulletproof vest saved his life, Trevino said. "I have always said we have never reported spillover violence, but I have to say that this particular incident is our first example," Trevino said. Trevino said cartel leaders told members to enter the United States to search for marijuana stolen from the cartel. The Mexican gang used members of a Texas-based street gang, mostly illegal immigrants, to seek out the drugs, Trevino said. And three alleged high-ranking leaders of the Gulf Cartel have been arrested in Texas in the past two weeks after seeking refuge in the United States in the aftermath of internal gang warfare, according to federal court documents released this week. "Amazingly, these individuals are using Texas as a safe haven to protect themselves from the very violence that they have created," U.S. Senator John Cornyn, a Republican from Texas, told reporters this week. The internal warfare was sparked by the September murder in Mexico of Samuel Flores Borrego, a top Gulf Cartel leader, according to the court documents. His death has led to a power struggle between two factions of the Gulf Cartel. DRUG ARREST Rafael Cardenas Vela, 38, the nephew of a co-founder of the Gulf Cartel, was arrested October 21 in Port Isabel, Texas, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. He is charged with conspiracy to possess and distribute drugs and using a fraudulent passport. Two other Gulf Cartel members, Eudoxio Ramos Garcia and Jose Luis Zuniga Hernandez, have been arrested in Texas in the past week, according to ICE. All three arrests are related to the split in the Gulf Cartel, said Scott Stewart, vice president of tactical intelligence for the Austin-based private intelligence firm STRATFOR. "The friction between two parts of the Gulf Cartel has been brewing for the past couple of months, and now it appears it is breaking out into all out war," Stewart told Reuters on Thursday. "It is quite possible that the information that led to Cardenas' arrest was actually leaked to U.S. authorities by his rivals in the cartel." Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott on Wednesday wrote in a letter to President Barack Obama that the three arrests and the shooting of the deputy show that the administration is failing to secure the border. "I implore you to aggressively confront this escalating threat," Abbott wrote. A call to the White House press office was not immediately returned on Thursday. Monica Weisberg-Stewart, a McAllen business owner and the chairwoman of the security committee of the Texas Border Coalition, said incidents like the ones from the past two weeks aren't new in South Texas. "There is still less crime down here on the border than there is in most parts of the country," said Weisberg-Stewart, whose coalition includes elected officials and business owners. "What we need is to work on establishing a true sense of security, and not take reactive steps, which will give us a false sense of security."</p>

Arrests of Mexican drug cartel leaders in Texas raise concerns

  The recent arrests of three alleged drug gang leaders from Mexico and the shooting of a sheriff's deputy in South Texas are raising fe...

Read more »

An alleged high-ranking member of the Comanchero outlaw motorcycle gang (OMCG) has been charged with a revocation of parole warrant

<p> </p><p>An alleged high-ranking member of the Comanchero outlaw motorcycle gang (OMCG) has been charged with a revocation of parole warrant by officers from the Gangs Squad’s Strike Force Raptor. Part of Strike Force Raptor’s charter is to monitor members of OMCGs who have been released from Corrective Services custody with parole conditions. Their inquiries led them to a man who had allegedly fled to Queensland. About 6.30pm on Wednesday 2 November 2011, a 41-year-old man was arrested in Tugun, Queensland, by officers from the Queensland Police Service’s Task Force Hydra. He faced Southport Magistrate’s Court yesterday where he was remanded into the custody of Strike Force Raptor officers. He was subsequently taken to Tweed Heads Police Station, in northern NSW, and charged with the revocation of parole warrant. He has been transferred into Corrective Services custody. Strike Force Raptor was established by the State Crime Command’s Gangs Squad in 2009 and is a proactive, high-impact operation targeting outlaw motorcycle gangs and their alleged associated criminal enterprises.</p>

An alleged high-ranking member of the Comanchero outlaw motorcycle gang (OMCG) has been charged with a revocation of parole warrant

  An alleged high-ranking member of the Comanchero outlaw motorcycle gang (OMCG) has been charged with a revocation of parole warrant by off...

Read more »

Hells Angels held a party in Tallinn last Saturday that climaxed with a fight that broke out between a night club security guard and two Finnish citizens

<p> </p><p>motorcycle gang Hells Angels held a party in Tallinn last Saturday that climaxed with a fight that broke out between a night club security guard and two Finnish citizens who were later brought to trial and “essentially thrown out of the country,” as one law enforcement officer put it. Having caused a raucus at the night club, three Hells Angels members had called their friends for help, but police - who had been keeping an eye on their festivities - were standing by and preempted a further conflict, reported ETV. Police say the otherwise peaceful party, attended by Hells Angels members from six countries, is just one sign that motorcycle gangs are expanding to Estonia. A local biker club has been courting the Hells Angels to get full membership. Another local club has already gained membership and established a new headquarters for a second international organization, Bandidos, which Finnish law enforcement has dubbed the biggest organized crime ring in their country. The two groups - Hells Angels and Bandidos - cannot be allowed to come together. “Violence is relatively probable,” said Elmar Vaher, who heads the North Prefecture of the police. He recalled the Great Nordic Biker War in the 1990s, in which 11 were killed, 96 injured, and weapons such as AK-47s were used. "There is a principle that commiting a common crime can tie people more closely to one another than anything else," said Vaher. Authorities now fear new cases of prostitution and drug trafficking. Although police have searched one of these local biker clubs on several occasions, and discovered illegal drugs in one instance, the Estonian biker organizations cannot yet be labeled as criminal, they say. Estonian police have been watching the activities of biker gangs since 2005, when Finnish colleagues identified a problem. "Along with the public club activities, there are more shady dealings as well," said Vaher. "Their handwriting is generally clever. They want to show that they mean well - international associates have built kindergartens [...] But there are also hidden crimes, mainly drugs, prostitution, and serious financial crimes." While Vaher submitted that not every person with a motorcycle and a leather jacket can be considered a criminal, he said some markings - such as the Hells Angels's “1%” insignia - are a clear statement of endorsing criminal activity. Upon inquiry, however, the Estonian biker club associated with Hell Angels defended itself, saying that it is just a group of hobbyists, that every societal demographic has crime, and that criminal activity - indeed - is not a prerequisite for membership.</p>

Hells Angels held a party in Tallinn last Saturday that climaxed with a fight that broke out between a night club security guard and two Finnish citizens

  motorcycle gang Hells Angels held a party in Tallinn last Saturday that climaxed with a fight that broke out between a night club security...

Read more »

Maurice Boland launches iTalk FM radio

<p> </p><p>THIS month radio presenter, Maurice Boland, will launch iTalk FM, a new radio station on the Costa del Sol. The radio station will be based at the Five Star Kempinski Hotel in Estepona, according to Boland. Presenters include: Mat Court, Jack Jackson, Stephen Ritson, Sheila Sanderson , David Jelley, Richie Allan, and Maurice Boland, according to a statement from the presenter.</p>

Maurice Boland launches iTalk FM radio

  THIS month radio presenter, Maurice Boland, will launch iTalk FM, a new radio station on the Costa del Sol. The radio station will be bas...

Read more »

A man who fled to Spain after being charged in connection with a terrifying robbery has been jailed for 10 years

<p> </p><p>A man who fled to Spain after being charged in connection with a terrifying robbery has been jailed for 10 years. Stephen Devalda provided a motorbike used by two robbers to get to and from the scene of a cash-in-transit raid. The robbers, who were carrying an imitation firearm and a machete, attacked a security guard collecting money from an Asda supermarket. Devalda, of Stanton Avenue, Salford, was arrested and charged in 2007 but he went on to skip bail and fled to Spain. A joint operation between the Serious and Organised Crime Agency and Spanish police was launched – and they tracked him down in Malaga in March. CCTV of the robbery Devalda, 28, who pleaded guilty to a charge of conspiracy to rob and a bail offence, has now been handed a sentence of 10 years and three months behind bars. Detective Inspector Simon Cheyte said: “This was a pre-planned and violent attack which has left the security guard so traumatised and distressed that he has not been able to return to his normal work duties.  “This investigation was carried out by a small team over a protracted period of time. They showed dedication and determination to bring this offender to justice and their resolve to succeed has lead to the conviction of a member of an organised and dangerous criminal gang from the Salford area of Manchester. “Thankfully these types of offences are extremely rare but we take them very seriously and are committed to carrying out full and thorough investigations to identify those responsible. “This should demonstrate the lengths Lancashire Constabulary will go to in order to arrest people and bring them justice. I am pleased with the sentence and hope it sends a clear message that this type of offence will not be tolerated.” The court heard how the armed robbery was carried out at Asda, in Colne, in May 2005. Two men in crash helmets arrived on a motorbike. The security guard was attacked with a machete after being knocked to the ground. The victim had a handgun pushed into his neck and a demand was made for money. He was then hit over the helmet with such force that he fell to the floor. One of the robbers shouted 'kill him' to his accomplice. He was ordered to tell a colleague to pass money out. The terrified guard curled up in a ball as the machete was used to rain blows to his head and upper arms. The court heard how the ordeal left him with both physical and psychological injuries. He had three lacerations to the upper arms and £25,000 in cash was stolen. The robbers made off on the motorbike and later switched to a getaway vehicle. Devalda pleaded guilty on the basis that he had been recruited by someone else. His role had been limited to providing the motorbike. A second man, Andrew Moran, 25, from Salford, was also charged with conspiracy to rob in connection with the raid. He appeared at Burnley Crown Court in March 2009 after a six week trial and was remanded into custody by the judge pending the result of the jury’s deliberations. Moran then assaulted a Group 4 security member, vaulted over the dock and ran from the court building. The jury later returned a guilty verdict and he was convicted in his absence of conspiracy to rob, for which he is to be yet sentenced. Moran is still missing and this week was named one of Britain’s most wanted criminals as part of a national Crimestoppers appeal. Det Insp Cheyte said: “We are determined to get Moran back before the courts to serve the time for his crime and I would urge anyone with any information as to his whereabouts to come forward and contact the police.” Moran is described as being around 5ft 8in, of stocky build with cropped fair hair. He has a Manchester accent </p>

A man who fled to Spain after being charged in connection with a terrifying robbery has been jailed for 10 years

  A man who fled to Spain after being charged in connection with a terrifying robbery has been jailed for 10 years. Stephen Devalda provide...

Read more »

COLOMBIAN lingerie model dubbed "Narco Queen" was handed six years in jail

<p> </p><p>COLOMBIAN lingerie model dubbed "Narco Queen" was handed six years in jail yesterday after trying to ship cocaine to Europe in her suitcases. Stunning Angie Sanclemente Valencia, 31, had denied helping her boyfriend recruit other beautiful young women to work for her international drug smuggling ring. The former beauty queen tried to take drugs from Argentina to Europe in late 2009 via Mexico. She was arrested in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in May 2010 after months on the run from police. Her attorney German Delgado said he would appeal the conviction. He insisted there was no proof, declaring that Sanclemente should be acquitted as she had no criminal record. Nicolas Gualco, her boyfriend, was also sentenced to six years and eight months for his role in the same plot. Sanclemente claimed during the trial in Argentina that she travelled to the country to marry Gualco and was not involved in the drug trade. She told the court: "I did not come here to commit crimes, I am not a narco-trafficker." She said all she had done for her boyfriend was "make a few calls", adding: "God knows I did it for love." Another man, Venezuelan Gustavo Paez Arneses, was sentenced to six years and two months for his role in the smuggling attempt.</p>

COLOMBIAN lingerie model dubbed "Narco Queen" was handed six years in jail

  COLOMBIAN lingerie model dubbed "Narco Queen" was handed six years in jail yesterday after trying to ship cocaine to Europe in h...

Read more »

Addicts may have glitch in frontal brain

<p> </p><p>“The better we understand our decision-making brain circuitry, the better we can target treatment, whether it’s pharmaceutical, behavioral, or deep brain stimulation,” says Jonathan Wallis, associate professor of psychology and neuroscience at University of California, Berkeley. Wallis says he was inspired to study the brain mechanism behind substance abuse after observing the lengths to which an addict will go to fulfill a craving, despite knowing the downside of a habit. He wanted to know what the drug did to the brain that made it so difficult to not make the right choice and what prevented the addict from making a healthier one. Straight from the Source Read the original study DOI: 10.1038/nn.2961 In the new study, published in Nature Neuroscience, Wallis targeted the orbitofrontal cortex and anterior cingulate cortex—two areas in the frontal brain—because previous research has shown that patients with damage to these areas of the brain are impaired in the choices they make. While these individuals may appear perfectly normal on the surface, they routinely make decisions that create chaos in their lives. A similar dynamic has been observed in chronic drug addicts, alcoholics, and people with obsessive-compulsive tendencies. “They get divorced, quit their jobs, lose their friends, and lose all their money,” Wallis says. “All the decisions they make are bad ones.” To test the hypothesis that these areas of the brain are the key players in impaired decision-making, researchers measured the neural activity of macaque monkeys as they played games in which they identified the pictures most likely to deliver juice through a spout into their mouths. The animals quickly learned which pictures would most frequently deliver the greatest amount of juice, allowing researchers to see what calculations they were making, and in which part of the brain. The brains of macaques function similarly to those of humans in basic decision making. The exercise was designed to see how the animals weigh costs, benefits, and risks. The results show that the orbitofrontal cortex regulates neural activity, depending on the value or “stakes” of a decision. This part of the brain enables you to switch easily between making important decisions, such as what school to attend or which job to take, and making trivial decisions such as coffee versus tea or burrito versus pizza. But in the case of addicts and people with damage to the orbitofrontal cortex, the neural activity does not change based on the gravity of the decision, presenting trouble when these individuals try to get their brains in gear to make sound choices, the findings suggest. As for the anterior cingulate cortex, the study found that when this part of the brain functions normally, we learn quickly whether a decision we made matched our expectations. If we eat food that makes us sick, we don’t eat it again. But in people with a malfunctioning anterior cingulate cortex, these signals are missing, and so they continue to make poor choices, Wallis says. “This is the first study to pin down the calculations made by these two specific parts of the brain that underlie healthy decision-making,”  Wallis says, who believes that a clearer understanding of how people with addictions make decisions may help remove some of the stigma of the condition. However, Wallis warned that the findings should not be used as a rationale for addicts to maintain unhealthy habits. Chronic drug and alcohol use changes the brain circuitry, and that can lead to unhealthy choices, he says. If anything, the findings offer hope that, through understanding the mechanism of addiction, treatment can be targeted at these risk-weighing, decision-making centers of the brain. “We know beyond doubt that addiction is a complex brain disease with significant behavioral characteristics,” says Susan E. Foster, vice president and director of policy research and analysis at the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University. “This research is an important contribution to understanding how the disease works. The challenge going forward is to sharpen our understanding, translate this knowledge into effective medical treatments and new prevention strategies and ultimately find a cure for this disease.” Researchers from the University of London and the University of Oxford contributed to the study that was funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse.</p>

Addicts may have glitch in frontal brain

  “The better we understand our decision-making brain circuitry, the better we can target treatment, whether it’s pharmaceutical, behavioral...

Read more »

Chief Superintendent Mark Mathias from South Wales Police said: "Each addict can cost society not far off £850,000

<p><div id="storyEmbSlide" style="color: #282828; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 10px; background-color: #ffffff; padding: 0px;"><div class="slideshow ssMain" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: #cccccc; padding-bottom: 3px;"><div class="nextPrevLayer" style="height: 319px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: relative;"><div class="ssImg" style="padding: 0px;"><img alt="Heroin addicts cost society £850,000 each, police warn" height="287" src="http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01852/h_1852940c.jpg" style="display: block; border: 0px initial initial;" width="460" /><div class="artImageExtras" style="font-family: arial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><div class="ingCaptionCredit" style="padding-top: 2px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px;"><span class="credit" style="color: #999999; font-size: 1em; line-height: 1.38em;">Photo: PA</span></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="byline" style="border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-color: #cccccc; margin-bottom: 5px; color: #282828; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 10px; background-color: #ffffff;"><p class="publishedDate" style="padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 4px; padding-left: 0px; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.48em; color: #3f3f3f; float: left; width: 390px; margin: 0px;"> </p></div><div id="mainBodyArea" style="color: #282828; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 10px; background-color: #ffffff;"><div class="firstPar"><p style="padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.7em; padding-left: 0px; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1.4em; line-height: 1.48em; margin: 0px;">Top officers warned of the increasing cost of drug-ravaged society with hundreds of millions is being spent on the increasing number of addicts.</p></div><div class="secondPar"><p style="padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.7em; padding-left: 0px; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1.4em; line-height: 1.48em; margin: 0px;">Chief Superintendent Mark Mathias from South Wales Police said: "Each addict can cost society not far off £850,000.</p></div><div class="thirdPar"><p style="padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.7em; padding-left: 0px; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1.4em; line-height: 1.48em; margin: 0px;">"You work through all the treatment, all the criminal justice issues that arise - then you see a significant costs involved."</p></div><div class="fourthPar"><p style="padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.7em; padding-left: 0px; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1.4em; line-height: 1.48em; margin: 0px;">Police in Swansea have launched a £500,00 clampdown in the city known as the "heroin capital of Wales" where officers have seized 1,000 "deals" in the last two weeks.</p></div><div class="fifthPar"><p style="padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.7em; padding-left: 0px; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1.4em; line-height: 1.48em; margin: 0px;">Superintendent Phil Davies said: "Some of these drug dealers have stated they are untouchable.</p></div><div class="body"><p style="padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.7em; padding-left: 0px; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1.4em; line-height: 1.48em; margin: 0px;">"My message to them is there is no hiding place, we will find you, we will catch you and we will put you behind bars."</p><p style="padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.7em; padding-left: 0px; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1.4em; line-height: 1.48em; margin: 0px;">Addict Amy Protheroe, 20, who has been an addict since she was 13 has just started her fifth treatment programme in Swansea.</p><p style="padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.7em; padding-left: 0px; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1.4em; line-height: 1.48em; margin: 0px;">She said: "When you're a heroin addict you wake up and you think straight away: "Where am I going to get money from, where am I going to score from?'"</p><p style="padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.7em; padding-left: 0px; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1.4em; line-height: 1.48em; margin: 0px;">"You get up, you go out, you get the money for the heroin, you buy the heroin, you do the heroin and then it starts all over again.</p><p style="padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.7em; padding-left: 0px; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1.4em; line-height: 1.48em; margin: 0px;">"To be honest, heroin has wrecked my life."</p></div></div></p>

Chief Superintendent Mark Mathias from South Wales Police said: "Each addict can cost society not far off £850,000

Photo: PA   Top officers warned of the increasing cost of drug-ravaged society with hundreds of millions is being spent on the increasing nu...

Read more »

Report: Nevada Top 10 in Gang Members

<p> </p><p>Street gangs are a growing problem in southern Nevada. The FBI ranks Clark County as the 10th worst area in the nation for the number of gang members. More than 15,000 roam the streets, and those are just the ones authorities know about. The report shows the trends authorities are seeing in gangs. Biker gangs are getting more and more members. Hispanic-based gangs are expanding faster than other gangs. Twenty states, including Nevada, are seeing these same trends. Rachal Richardson used to have gang ties. Lights and sirens were something she was used to. Her ties to gang life are over, but not before being exposed to plenty of violence. The mother of four traded in violence and crimes scenes for a better life 10 years ago. She's not surprised Clark County is in the top 10 counties of the country when it comes to gang presence. "With sex is drugs and money and with that comes gangs, people trying to protect their turf, their name, or their pride," she said. With more than 15,000 gang members identified through the report, those who work closely with gang members say more needs to done. "We don't have enough money on prevention programs, where the kids can be involved and don't fall into that path of crime," said Esther Brown with the Embracing Project. Brown has never been in a gang, but moved to America from Spain and saw the need to reach out to those in gangs. She started the Embracing Project, a gang-prevention charity. "You are a gang member, let's look for solutions. What do you need so you can leave the gang. Some of the kids, it's difficult to leave the gang because their family are gang members," she said. She hopes this recent report opens the eyes of the community. "It's everywhere. People think, 'Oh, not in Summerlin. We don't have gang-bangers.' It's everywhere. Gang activity is everywhere," she said. Most of the gangs identified in this report are from street gangs. Two motorcycle gangs have seen a growth in Nevada, but gang-related drug activity in the report was fairly low compared to the overall gang presence in the state.</p>

Report: Nevada Top 10 in Gang Members

  Street gangs are a growing problem in southern Nevada. The FBI ranks Clark County as the 10th worst area in the nation for the number of g...

Read more »

Hackers Challenge Mexican Crime Syndicate

<p> </p><p>The hackers’ message, delivered via YouTube by a man wearing a red tie and a Guy Fawkes mask, was as bold and risky as anything produced by the Zetas, Mexico’s most ruthless crime syndicate. But this time, the Zetas were the target. Connect With Us on Twitter Follow @nytimesworld for international breaking news and headlines. They had kidnapped a geek with backup — a respected member of the hackers collective known as Anonymous. “You have made a great mistake by taking one of us,” said the video’s masked figure. “Release him.” Or else, the message said, the names of government officials, taxi drivers and journalists who worked with the Zetas would be published online. The goal, they said, was the arrest of these suspected collaborators, but was there a possibility they might be killed by a rival cartel? Yes, said self-identified members of Anonymous, acknowledging the danger. Beyond that, might the hackers also be targeted? Were they afraid? “Of course,” said a blog post on Monday. Still, some hackers said, it was time for Netizens to fight back in a country where the news media have been cowed into submission, and where the justice system is often complicit in heinous crimes that regularly go unpunished.  “We believe it is high time to say enough to the terrible situation caused by the falsehood of the government and lack of scruples of people who do not care about the welfare of their fellow human beings,” they posted. Anonymous appears to already have the information on collaborators. A person with knowledge of its operations, who did not want to be named for fear of reprisals, said that online group conversations on Monday showed that the hackers have “a list of 100 or so of the major contacts of the Zetas.” It was not clear how they obtained the tally, or how accurate it was. And that appeared to be a major concern. A Facebook message on Sunday from one of the so-called hacktivists said there were indications that the Mexican government had tainted the Anonymous operation, known as OpCartel, “putting in doubt the quality of the information.” Whether Anonymous will publish what it has is unclear. The original YouTube message, uploaded on Oct. 6, said that Nov. 5 would be “a day to remember,” and the group has already provided a first strike. Last week, Anonymous defaced the Web site of a former Tabasco State prosecutor, Gustavo Rosario Torres, replacing his usual message with the image of jack-o’-lanterns and an announcement that Mr. Rosario “es Zeta.” But on Monday, in the wake of a security firm’s report highlighting the potential loss of life from naming names, there were more mixed messages. A steady stream of posts on Twitter referring to OpCartel revealed an intense debate over the benefits and costs of moving forward. On Twitter and in private e-mails — members of Mexico’s underground online media said — there appeared to be a widening gap between supporters and opponents of Anonymous’s mission. This may have been by design. The blog post announcing that OpCartel would continue emphasized that “anyone who is not properly protected should immediately and publicly disassociate themselves from this operation.” Several Twitter accounts that had been active on the topic fell silent. Several other members of Mexico’s online crime-reporting community said that OpCartel was causing internal strife, and that they had been asked by friends to stay away from anything having to do with the operation, even basic Twitter posts.   Fred Burton, a vice president at Stratfor, which published the report warning against the Anonymous plan, said that fears of reprisals were well founded. “Informants in that world are usually found dangling from a bridge or beheaded,” Mr. Burton said. Those identified by Anonymous would be vulnerable to rival gangs, he said, while the hackers and their supporters might also be targets. And because Mexico’s criminal groups have infiltrated Mexican law enforcement, which has access to sophisticated tracking software, anonymity online might not be enough protection. At least three people believed to have been online tipsters have been killed recently because of what their murderers described on public banners as snitching. Still, perhaps because of the danger — or perhaps because of the desperate need of many Mexicans for a sense of control as crime spirals — support for OpCartel continued to flow through the Web on Monday afternoon. Several Twitter users posted WikiLeaks cables with information about the Zetas. Others offered moral support. “You will never falter you will not fail, bring down the corruption,” wrote a user with the handle @fingers_digita. “PLZ be careful comrades, EXTREMELY dangerous,” wrote @AnonOWS, using the hash tag #justice for emphasis. Even those unsure about OpCartel said that it was significant as a citizen revolt. That was the core defense in the Anonymous blog post, which said a small task force was formed because “the voice of the people have clamored for help.” And according to some experts, regardless of whether OpCartel goes forward, the anger and outrage of Anonymous will be remembered, and channeled for another day. “This is not about a desire for information,” said Hector Amaya, a Mexican professor of Media Studies at the University of Virginia. “It’s about the need for a remedy.</p>

Hackers Challenge Mexican Crime Syndicate

  The hackers’ message, delivered via YouTube by a man wearing a red tie and a Guy Fawkes mask, was as bold and risky as anything produced b...

Read more »