On Friday the Spanish police announced the arrest of one of the most sought-after drug traffickers in the world, Edgar Guillermo Vallejo Guarin, also known as "Beto the Gypsy."
In conjunction with the US DEA and the Spanish Civil Guard, Vallejo Guarin was arrested outside a luxury hotel in central Madrid
According to sources Vallejo Guarin has a long history of violence, involvement in money laundering of drug funds and corruption of high-level government officials. He was on the 'most-wanted' list in various countries, and the United States, had offered a $5 million reward to anyone who helped bring about his capture.
In June 2001, he was accused in Florida of being a principal source of cocaine smuggled from Colombia into the United States throughout the 1990s.
"He is responsible for the shipment of a multitude of tons of cocaine via ship to the United States (especially the west coast of Florida and Miami) and Europe," a press-release said. In addition, he is suspected of being linked to various assassinations, it said.
On being arrested in Madrid sources say Vallejo Guarin was carrying false identification documentation that identified him as Jairo Gomez.
Vallejo Guarin's main residence was in a Barcelona suburb, but he had been staying in hotels across Europe and Venezuela in an apparent attempt to avoid arrest, the release said.
All in all, any efforts made to stamp out corruption and drug-dealing will only enhance Spain's economy, and hopefully put in on steady ground for the long term. The idea is to avoid the corruption problems and scandals caused over the last two years, which have really hit investors confidence in the property market.