A man has appeared before a court in Torrevieja after Guardia Civil officers discovered him carrying a loaded semi-automatic pistol in a public street. The arrest followed a preventive patrol carried out in July by local Citizen Security officers.

Police said two men drew attention to themselves by changing their behaviour and attempting to leave the area when they noticed the patrol. During an identification check, one of the men appeared noticeably nervous while searching for documents in a shoulder bag. Officers searched the bag for safety reasons and found the firearm inside.

The pistol contained a magazine loaded with 13 rounds and another round in the chamber, meaning it was ready for immediate use. Part of the serial number had been removed, making identification more difficult. The man had no legal authorisation to possess or carry a weapon.

Further inquiries linked the suspects to previous offences involving illegal weapons and membership of a criminal group. A search of a property connected to one of the men uncovered additional ammunition and a suspected false foreign identity card. One man remains under investigation, while the main suspect faces charges of illegal weapons possession, document forgery and membership of a criminal organisation.