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Now... Spain says Gibraltar does not cooperate on money laundering, drugs and tobacco smuggling and fraud
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Gibraltar does not cooperate with the Spanish authorities in the fight against money laundering and drugs, says the Spanish Government.
This comes from the top in the Spanish interior ministry.
The minister, Jose Antonio Alonso, said so in a parliamentary question.
The cooperation of Gibraltar with the Guardia Civil has been practically nil, in the Guardia Civil's investigations of money laundering, tobacco smuggling or fraud, said the Spanish minister, who adds that such cooperation has been sought through various avenues such as 'commissions rogatoire' and financial intelligence units.
The minister was asked about the recent 'Ballena Blanca' money laundering operation as well as other such operations in the Costa del Sol.
There has been no cooperation with UK or Gibraltar authorities as regards the 'Ballena Blanca' operation, and in other operations there is no evidence of the participation or cooperation of the Gibraltar authorities, said the reply.
However, as regards the 'Ballena Blanca' operation such cooperation was not requested by the Spanish police.
Reports in Spain recall that the Spanish attorney general Candido Conde-Pumpido had said at the time of 'Ballena Blanca' that Gibraltar does not cooperate on money laundering.
The parliamentary question was asked at the instigation of Antonio Romero, a member for 'Izquierda Unida' party in the Andalusian parliament.
TAX FRAUD
It has also been confirmed that the Spanish tax authorities are seeking to obtain information from the British authorities about companies registered in Gibraltar that could be serving as vehicles to defraud tax obligations to the detriment of the Spanish exchequer.
A number of meetings are said to have been held but the level of cooperation was not yet clear.
Said Romero: How is it possible that in the EU there should be an enclave like Gibraltar which refuses to cooperate with the Spanish police and civil guards in the fight over offences, organised crime, smuggling, money laundering and fraud?
* In the past the Gibraltar government has said that any requests from Spain which are properly channelled are attended to.
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