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Spain ‘love scam’ triple murder suspect probed for killing cellmate

A Pakistani man facing trial in Spain for the murder of three elderly siblings over debts reportedly linked to an online romance scam is suspected of having killed his cellmate, officials said Saturday.

A view taken on December 10, 2008 of the Estremera prison near Madrid
A view taken on December 10, 2008 of the Estremera prison near Madrid, where a Pakistani man facing trial in Spain for a triple murder is suspected of having killed his cellmate. (Photo by PHILIPPE DESMAZES / AFP)

The 42-year-old, identified only as Dilawar, has been held at the Estremera prison outside Madrid since he turned himself into police last month after admitting involvement in the triple murder of the two sisters and their disabled brother in December in the nearby town of Morata de Tajuna.

He is now under investigation for allegedly killing his cellmate at the jail on Thursday, the Madrid region’s top court said in a statement.

“Dilawar, accused of the death of three elderly people in the town of Morata de Tajuna last December, will be investigated in this new case for the alleged commission of a crime of intentional homicide,” it said without providing further details.

Spanish media said the prisoner, a 39-year-old Bulgarian, had suffered several blows and was found dead in the cell he shared with Dilawar.

READ ALSO: Police in Spain make arrest in ‘love scam’ murder of senior siblings

The bodies of the three siblings, who were in their 70s, were found in January after neighbours raised the alarm because they had not seen them for several weeks.

The authorities suspect the siblings were beaten to death with an iron bar and their bodies were then partially burned in December.

Quoting local residents, Spanish media said the tragedy was likely linked to a fake online love affair, with the two sisters embarking on what they thought was a long-distance relationship with two apparent US servicemen.

They were led to believe one serviceman had died and that the other needed money so that he could send them a multi-million-euro inheritance, causing the sisters to rack up huge debts.

Initially they began borrowing money from neighbours.

During that time, Dilawar had reportedly lent the sisters at least 50,000 euros ($55,000), which they had never repaid, prompting his violent attack on one of the sisters. 

He spent several months in jail for hitting one of the sisters over the head with a hammer last year at their house where he was living as a tenant but he was released from prison in September.

 

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CRIME

Spain seizes 11 tonnes of counterfeit football jerseys

Spanish police have seized over 11 tonnes of knock-off football team shirts in a crackdown on counterfeiting ahead of this weekend's Champions League final and the upcoming Euro 2024, they said Friday.

Spain seizes 11 tonnes of counterfeit football jerseys

Officers found the jerseys of different Spanish football clubs and European national teams, along with counterfeit luxury watches, leather goods and electronic equipment, during searches of 15 heavy-duty trucks, police said in a statement.

“The counterfeits were destined for various organisations based in Spain, which intended to distribute them through street sales, social networks and websites,” the statement said.

Police said they seized over 46,000 counterfeit items — including over 36,500 jerseys — with a street value of more than €6 million ($6.5 million).

The operation, which is ongoing, began in April after Spain intercepted two tonnes of counterfeit football jerseys from China.

This led to the discovery that “a large shipment of counterfeit goods” was arriving in Spain “to be supplied to criminal organisations that intended to place counterfeit sports kits on the illicit market on the occasion of the Champions League final and Euro 2024.”

Real Madrid will seek to win Europe’s biggest club prize for a record 15th time when they take on Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League final on Saturday at Wembley Stadium in London.

Germany will host the 2024 European Championship finals from June 14 to July 14.

Counterfeits are a global phenomenon, whether for fashion, toys, electronics, food or pharmaceuticals, estimated by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) to represent 2.5 percent of world trade.

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