The operation in Albudeite (Murcia) for alleged vote buying derives from wiretapping for drug trafficking

13 people were arrested, including the PSOE candidate, of whom 7 are listed as being investigated and an appearance has been scheduled for another 2

MURCIA, 26 May. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The operation in Albudeite (Murcia) of the Civil Guard for alleged vote buying in which the PSOE candidate for mayor, Isabel Peñalver, has been arrested, derives from police wiretapping in the midst of another previous investigation for drug trafficking. 13 people have been arrested, of which 7 are listed as being investigated and an appearance has been scheduled for another 2.

The head of the Court of First Instance and Instruction number 1 of Mula has issued an order by which she lifts the secrecy of the investigation related to the alleged purchase of votes in exchange for money in the elections of 28-M in the town of Albudeite.

Up to the moment of issuing this resolution, according to TSJ sources, the procedure was directed against 7 people, three of them also investigated in the previous proceedings for crimes against public health, since the operation started as a result of wiretapping of another investigation related to drugs carried out by the Civil Guard.

The PSOE candidate for Mayor, Isabel Peñalver, would be implicated in the investigation; and number 19 on the Socialist lists, Héctor Antonio Martínez, both arrested this Thursday.

Preliminary Proceedings 215/2023 are opened for an alleged crime of electoral fraud, so in the same resolution the judge agrees to cease the telephone interventions that she had agreed upon and transfers an official letter to the Zone Electoral Board, to notify them the existence of a procedure for electoral crime, initially limited to the municipality of Albudeite, according to the TSJ.

The court opened this independent case when, unexpectedly, in some measures agreed upon in another proceeding for the alleged crime of drug trafficking, the possible existence of vote buying was warned.

Thus, the court has received this Friday the report with the proceedings carried out yesterday by the Judicial Police, which reflects the arrest and subsequent release of 13 people, including the 7 who were investigated in the procedure, and the appearance of 2 more people as investigated.