The former mayor of Los Alcázares (Murcia), Juan Escudero (PSOE), and five others were arrested yesterday charged with misappropriating public funds and money laundering. Also arrested were municipal architect, Mariano Ayuso, his brother, Juan Ignacio Ayuso, Town Hall secretary, Diego Sánchez, as well as local property magnate, Valero Garcerán and his son, Francisco Javier.

The town's current socialist mayoress, María Encarnación Gil, spent the day helping police conduct a search of the council building that resulted in the seizure of nine large cardboard boxes containing documentation and computer files.

Mr Escudero, who has been expelled from the PSOE following his arrest yesterday, resigned as mayor before the regional and municipal elections last May - citing personal reasons - after evidence emerged linking his administration to Juan Antonio Roca, the former town planning advisor to Marbella council and one of the main suspects in the 'Malaya' corruption case.