So you think you can cheat the breathalyser...

SPAIN A series of myths exist in Spain (and elsewhere) that certain methods or actions can trick a breathalyser into reducing the alcohol level showing on a breathalyser at a roadside test. Among these are drinking black coffee or even sucking on a coffee grain. There are more, but we should start with a statistic. Spain's National Institute of Toxicology revealed in a recent survey that 35% of drivers killed in road accidents last year, showed positive on post-mortem blood/alcohol tests. All the same, there are a number of urban myths that supposedly bely the truth of science. So, a study titled published recently by Fesvial (Fundación Española para la Seguridad Vial) and Línea Directa, the insurance company, reveals that some 8 million drivers (about 30% of total license holders) really do believe that there are tricks that cheat roadside breath tests. Among the more 'popular' are>>>

Video evidence of Guardia firing shots in disputed waters (by GBC)

Arrested for bursting into a Jimena feria marquee on horseback; breaks Guardia's wrist

(Illustration only)

JIMENA  A man - well-known in Jimena for being a trouble-maker - was arrested at last week-end's feria after bursting into one of the marquees (caseta) on horseback. He is accused of public disorder and endangering the public, among other things, including breaking the wrist of one of the Guardia Civils in the process of arresting him. According to reports, the man had been bothering everybody, riders and public alike, when he was drinking on foot inside the caseta. He then went out, mounted and drove his panicking horse inside, thus endangering everyone present. When the Guardia came onto the scene, he began insulting and threatening them. He allegedly managed to get a rein around one of the Guardias and pulled on it, breaking his wrist. He was finally restrained and led away. He is now 'at the disposal of the courts'.

Man knifed at Jimena station

JIMENA A Moroccan immigrant lays severely injured in the La Línea hospital after being attacked with a knife at the railway station by what are reported to be two fellow countrymen. Although there is very little news on the subject, it is known that yesterday the man had not yet been questioned. According to sources at the Guardia Civil, the incident seems to indicate a settling of scores.

Guardia Civil to watch over Straits with drones and by satellite

Camcopter S-100 helicopter drone

ALGECIRAS The frontier-watch unit of the Guardia Civil (FRONTEX) is to open a new era of innovation. The latest technology, as offered by helicopter drones and satellites, will be the starting point. Under the name 'Closeye' (sounds like a Hollywood spy movie, but isn't) the GC will be gradually incorporating new systems to its effort at stopping smugglers and 'illegal' immigrants from crossing the Straits of Gibraltar. This is a first for similar European operations, and consists of three phases, the first of which is experimental, aimed at fine tuning the systems to be used.

Have you been fined for speeding on the A-405 road, near Castellar?

The area in question

CAMPO DE GIBRALTAR We have had a number of enquiries about speeding fines on the A-405 road (the A-369 on GoogleMaps, which is about 3 years late), from Jimena to Taraguilla, particularly between the turnoff to Sotogrande International School, passing by the entrance to Castellar cemetery and the entrance to Castellar Nuevo. These fines are particularly heavy - ranging from €150 to €400 - because, we believe, that heading for the coast, there is a section with a maximum of 50kph that includes a very straight part (passing by a plant nursery), which then turns into 70kph before a sharp bend. Curiously, on the other side of that same section, heading to Jimena, the speed limit is 70 kph, which leads not only to confusion but might also be a mistake (fallen speed sign, perhaps?). If you have had a fine there, please let us know, so we can make enquiries with the powers that be... (no promises!)

264 kilos of cocaine seized from container at the port

(Photo: Guardia Civil)

ALGECIRAS The Guardia Civil announced yesterday that it had seized 264 kilos of cocaine hidden in a container in transit at Algeciras, coming from Argentina. Four people were arrested when they attempted to collect the drug, all of whom are in jail. The GC statement said that they established an operation that watched the container, loaded onto a tractor truck at the cargo terminal; when the truck was stopped and inspected, they found several bags full of the packaged cocaine and arrested three men. Involved, too, was a third man who had access to the container terminal with a van belonging to his employer; he was also arrested. 

Police to multiply driving test questions by 20

Taking the test

Objective: to make future drivers think rather than memorise

MADRID For years most people taking the theoretical driving test ('teórica') memorised the answers to around 800 questions. Those days are numbered: the head of the National Confederation of Driving Schools, José Miguel Báez, announced last week that the Guardia Civil's Traffic Unit ('Tráfico', or DGT) had multiplied the number of questions by 20, to 15,500 that will be set randomly. This is already being applied at several provincial test centres and would probably be completed nationwide by the end of this month.>>>

Three pharmacists and 23 doctors in fraud scandal

Doing their job
(Photo: Guardia Civil)

Doctors prescribed expensive medicine in pensioners' names without their knowledge · Chemists sold on black market

SAN PEDRO DE ALCÁNTARA  It worked like this: the doctors prescribed medication -often costing over €5,000- to pensioners without their knowledge; later, a pharmacist's assistant, allegedly the head of the scam, would pick the prescriptions up and sell them on the black market, principally to sports people as anabolic steroids. At the same time, the medication was charged to the SAS (Servicio Andaluz de Salud, Andalucía's health service) and to a civil servants' health care system, Muface.>>>

Spanish border police harassed daily 'under RGP protection'

Gibraltar ministers posing with
Defenders of Gibraltar
(Photo: Tony Evans/Flickr)

GIBRALTAR / LA LÍNEA The Federal Union of Police (UFP, a union) has denounced the daily harassment its members are subjected to at their posts by a group calling itself 'Defenders of Gibraltar', which, says the union, act 'under the protection of the Gibraltar police.' Their only mission, allegedly, is to harass, insult and photograph. They also distribute pamphlets among people queuing to access or leave the Rock. The union says that the group places itself at a mere five metres from the border patrols and the pictures and numbers of the agents doing their job appear later on Internet. The group, according to the union, is supported also by the Government of Gibraltar. In the image, members of Defenders of Gibraltar pose with ministers Paul Balban, John Cortes and Steven Linares. The latter has been seen to address drivers as they sit in the queue. (See a photo report  by Tony Evans on Flickr).

44 deer heads confiscated in three different operations

Illustration only

Part of Seprona campaign against illegal hunting

JIMENA The Seprona unit of the Guardia Civil  based in Castellar recently raided three farms in the municipality of Jimena, where they found, and confiscated, a total of 44 deer skulls and antlers. None of these could be justified through documents of legality from the Junta's Department of the Environment, and included one that had been shot very recently. In addition, at one of the fincas, a captured doe was also confiscated, as well as various illegal implements used to capture these animals. The Seprona campaign will be specially vigilant during the current rutting and birthing season. 

Arrested for resisting arrest with violence

JIMENA The Guardia Civil announced in a statement yesterday that a man had been arrested for resisting arrest in an operation carried out in the village on Sunday. The man was apparently in a state of great agitation when being sought by the Local Police, who called in the Guardia when one of their number was injured in the fracas. The police was called in in the first place when neighbours saw the man behaving very violently, kicking in a door and screaming. On seeing the arrival of the authorities, the man allegedly attacked one of them, causing injuries. He was finally reduced and is now 'at the disposal of the courts'. There is an unconfirmed report that the same person caused injury to another in the area, who is now in a serious state in hospital. We will attempt to find out more.

Jimena property involved in money laundering scam

Finca La Bordalla

JIMENA The subject burst on the media scene towards the end of last month (since when we have been trying to obtain further information without success). The Guardia Civil had raided the offices of a property investment and management company, Inversiones Patrimoniales P&P, in Algeciras in a spectacular operation against money laundering. The GC entered the offices via a window and removed several computers and documentation that is still being studied. However, it appears that a property in Jimena, the controversial, allegedly illegal Finca La Bordalla (photo) was involved in the money laundering operation. Local witnesses saw numerous GC vehicles heading up to the property about a week ago, where a thorough search was carried out, apparently without result. It is assumed thatYOU WILL BE UNABLE

Frontier crossings register 36,000 people and 10,000 vehicles every day in 2011

An unusual sight in the summer

National Police arrested 196 in 2011, Guardia Civil confiscate 627,202 tobacco units

LA LÍNEA  (Agencies) The above figures were handed over to the local authorities yesterday by the Government Sub-Delegate for the Province, Javier de la Torre. He also visited the customs area and met with senior representatives of Customs, Guardia Civil and National Police, with whom he discussed matters related to traffic, human resources and building maintenance, among others. De la Torre saw at first hand the situation of the Gibraltar frontier post. Some of the figures dealt with at the meeting: SOON YOU WILL  BE UNABLE TO SEE THE REST OF ITEMS SUCH AS THIS UNLESS YOU SUBSCRIBE.

In a single week, 56% of drug tests on drivers were positive

90 per cent were for cannabis or cocaine

SPAIN (Agencies) The Guardia Civil Traffic Division carried out a nationwide campaign against drug driving during the week of July 9 to 15.  Of the 232,000 roadside controls carried out in one week, 2,400 were positive, representing about 1%. In addition, 101 tests were carried out on drivers "showing signs of driving under the influence of drugs," according to the Minister of the Interior, Jorge Fernández Díaz. The objective, said the Minister, was to get anyone driving under the influence of drugs "off the road." He went on to praise the "clinical eye" of the agents that detected such drivers without these having committed any infraction and but had passed a breathalyser. Fernández Díaz added that so far this year, some 2,259 drug driving tests have been carried out and the number will continue to increase as testing spreads throughout the country, particularly over the summer, concentrating on coastal roads during the season.

Gibraltar Government statement following Guardia Civil actions on Friday

One of many incidents
(Photo: elmundo.es)

"...actions such as these [...] must be repelled by the Royal Navy ..." 

GIBRALTAR (Press release) "Her Majesty's Government of Gibraltar has received confirmed reports that officers of the Guardia Civil vessel Rio Ceden boarded and took control of a Gibraltar registered vessel in British Gibraltar Territorial Waters and then forcibily conveyed it and its occupants to Algeciras at high speed and without navigational lights. They subsequently confiscated perfectly legal equipment aboard the vessel.  The individuals aboard the vessel were not suspected of being involved in any illicit activity of any kind. HM Government of Gibraltar condemns the actions of the relevant Spanish Civil Guards without reservation.  Official reports received by the Government state that the Guardia Civil even turned off the navigational lights on the Gibraltar vessel that they boarded and on their own vessel as well in an attempt to avoid detection. This points to the fact that they must have known that they were acting in British Gibraltar Territorial Waters where Spain has no jurisdiction.  It is important to recall that the Civil Guard commenced these illegal incursions in 2009, unrelated to any fishing dispute and that they have continued at regular intervals ever 

since. Indeed, at one point Spanish Civil Guards even entered the Port of Gibraltar and landed on our soil. This has been the case regardless of who was in Government in Spain or in Gibraltar.>>>

Guardia Civil investigate possible GHB-related rape

TARIFA A 19 year old woman from Barcelona was taken to the local health centre on Sunday morning. At six in the morning the Local Police found her wandering near the beach in a state of great anxiety and completely disoriented. Having started the evening out in the company of several friends, she thought she had at some point been raped, according to press release, which began an investigation by the Guardia Civil and led her to be taken to the Punta de Europa Hospital in Algeciras for an exploration. The woman was unable to describe any attacker or remember much about the incident, although as time went by she could recall that she had spent most of the night with a young man. All her symptoms are related to what is sometimes described as 'the rapist's drug', GHB, or Gamma Hydroxybutyric acid, and also known as scoop and 'liquid Ecstasy' - éxtasis líquido' in Spain. Like alcohol and potent>>>

Crimestoppers wants our help: look out for this man on the Algeciras-Tangier ferry

ALGECIRAS (Agencies) Crimestoppers, the Northamptonshire police and the Spanish police authorities are seeking our help in detaining Anxiang Du, wanted for questioning in the murder of four members of the Ding family, the parents and two daughters aged 12 and 18, last April. The police suspect that the 53 year old may well be in the South of Spain or northern Morocco so the appeal for vigilance is aimed at users of the Algeciras-Tangier ferry, particularly during the summer crossing season (called Operación Paso del Estrecho), when passenger numbers multiply and it is easier for Anxiang Du to go unnoticed. Crimestoppers says that he should not be approached as he is considered very dangerous. There is a reward of up to £25,000 for information leading to his arrest. The Spanish phone number to report a sighting is 900 555 111, and the number in Britain is 0800 555 111.

Arrested with over 3,000 child pornography videos

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ALGECIRAS (Agencies) The pursuit began in November 2011 with a denuncia from an Algeciras person who reported coming across child pornography material on internet, making the denuncia at the Guardia Civil headquarters in Algeciras. The matter was passed on to the GC's special unit, who opened 'Operation Klaus', aimed at finding the source of this material. Investigation led to the city of León, and eventually the IP address in question was located at a home there, where a raid came up with two computers and a hard drive and over 3,000 films of explicit sex with minors. A man, identified as P.C.C., was arrested and charged with possession and distribution of child pornography.

Rescued from burning catamaran

(Photo: europasur.es)

LA LÍNEA (Agencies) The Guardia Civil were able to rescue the two crew members off a catamaran that burst into flames twenty meters away from the Poniente (western) beach in La Línea in the early hours of Thursday last. The elderly crew were taken to the port of Algeciras where they were picked up by relatives. La Línea Council closed off the beach because a rescue boat detected an oil slick that threatened the beach, but no reports of damage have been recorded.