A FORMER West Bromwich Albion footballer has reportedly been arrested on the Costa del Sol following a drugs raid.
The 47-year-old was held after police discovered a man they intercepted was carrying a bag of cannabis as he left a shopping centre in Riviera del Sol between Marbella and Fuengirola and found more drugs inside the premises he had just left when they entered it.
Cops in the area had gone public with the arrest earlier this week but had not revealed the age or nationality of the man held.
Overnight respected local newspaper Sur described him as a 47-year-old British national who had “spent most of his career” at West Brom, a regular in the top tier of English football although it currently plays in the second-level EFL Championship.
The former footballer has not been named.
The arrest took place last week and it was not immediately clear this morning whether the man held has already appeared before an investigating judge, who would have been expected to release him on bail pending an ongoing criminal probe.
A statement released on Monday by local police in Mijas, which Riviera del Sol forms part of, said: “Mijas Local Police have arrested a man on suspicion of committing an offence against public health following an operation at an establishment in the Las Terrazas Shopping Centre, in Riviera del Sol.
“Officers detected suspicious movements of people entering and leaving the premises whilst carrying out surveillance in the area on the afternoon of March 10th, eventually intercepting one of the customers and finding that he was carrying a heat-sealed bag containing cannabis which he said he had just purchased inside the premises.
“They then proceeded to search the premises, and after identifying the person in charge, they found a large quantity of narcotic substances (1,170g of cannabis, 865g of hashish and a large amount of cash), as well as materials required for the preparation and distribution of these substances, all of which were seized and taken to Civil Guard premises.
“In light of these events, the person in charge of the premises was arrested on suspicion of committing an offence against public health and was handed over to the Civil Guard.”
Juan Carlos Cuevas, deputy mayor for Mijas and the councillor in charge of local police, added: “This sort of action is the result of the constant preventive surveillance carried out by our local police to ensure safety in the neighbourhoods and address the concerns raised by residents and shopkeepers.
“A police presence and preventive surveillance enable us to detect this type of situation and act swiftly when it occurs.”
Offering more details of the drugs and other items seized, he added: “During the police operation, two bags of cannabis weighing 489 and 681 grams respectively were seized, along with a bag of hashish resin weighing 865 grams and 164 cannabis cigarettes ready for sale.
Officers also seized 79 glass jars, 23 plastic jars, bags containing compartments for cannabis cigarettes, heat-sealed envelopes and two precision digital scales, as well as 3,469.90 euros and £225.
“The substances, the seized materials and the confiscated money were taken to the Civil Guard barracks in Mijas.”
As well as identifying the arrested man as a former West Brom footballer, Sur reported the premises he was allegedly running didn’t have an opening and activity licence.
The Las Terrazas Commercial Centre is popular with British holidaymakers and expats. It has a supermarket, restaurants, a gym and even a dog grooming salon.
