Submachine Guns, Extortion, and Hostages: The Heist at a Cannabis Club in Alicante Province

Submachine guns, extortion, death threats, and an elderly couple taken hostage. The story of a violent heist at a cannabis club in San Fulgencio and the subsequent pursuit of the criminals has ended happily. The Civil Guard has arrested the two alleged robbers, members of a criminal organisation, as reported by the Armed Institute. The judge has sent them to prison.

The investigation began in early November 2024, when the manager of a cannabis club in San Fulgencio reported to the Civil Guard of Guardamar that he had suffered a violent assault. According to the victim's account, the events had occurred a few weeks earlier when several men armed with weapons robbed the establishment he managed and stole all the cash on hand at the time, around 600 euros, in addition to 5,000 euros in cannabis products.

The assailants obtained the business address and, after the assault, demanded the manager pay 25,000 euros plus 50% of the profits from that point forward. Initially, the victim feared reporting the incidents because the perpetrators had threatened him with death. To intimidate him, they sent videos displaying submachine guns, telling him that if he did not comply, they would come after him and his family. At one point, he decided to approach the Civil Guard, who immediately began investigations to locate the violent gang.

After initial inquiries, investigators managed to identify two members of the criminal group, arresting one of them in San Fulgencio on November 6, a 33-year-old man who, after being brought before the court, was remanded in custody.

As for the other criminal, a 32-year-old, he managed to escape at that time, but a few months after the investigation began, the Civil Guard located him in Orihuela Costa. Investigators found that he had remained hidden outside the country and had legally changed his identity, probably to make it more difficult to locate him. Finally, in an operation set up by the Armed Institute, he was arrested in Orihuela Costa on April 8.

During this intervention, the target actively resisted, attempting to flee again, even entering a home where he held an elderly couple hostage, but he was eventually subdued and arrested by officers, who suffered injuries. Fortunately, the couple was freed and both are in good health.

The last detainee is charged with extortion, robbery with violence and intimidation, illegal detention, assault on law enforcement officers, and membership in a criminal group. On April 11, he was brought before the Court of First Instance and Instruction number 3 of Orihuela, which is handling the case, and was also remanded in custody.

During the operation, two searches were conducted in Orihuela Costa, at a residence and a former cannabis club, which had just announced it was resuming activities and was being refurbished for this purpose. During the search, the Civil Guard found that the interior layout of the premises had been altered, with several floors, concealing access to some rooms to carry out illegal activities without being discovered. Among other items, two firearms, two submachine guns, a large amount of ammunition for the submachine guns, and 85 tusi pills were seized.

The operation was carried out jointly by the team specialised in combating Organised Crime and Drugs (Edoa) and the Territorial Judicial Police Team of Guardamar del Segura. The investigation remains open, and further arrests or the discovery of more victims are not ruled out.