More than thirty Local Police officers, including main suspect, chief Ginés Jiménez, have been arrested in Coslada (Madrid) accused of extorting money from local bar, restaurant and pub owners as well as prostitutes.

The arrests are the result of a prior investigation into a Rumanian prostitution ring that uncovered evidence establishing links between the gang and various Local Police officers from Coslada.

National Police officers investigating the allegations searched a number of properties during this morning's operation, incuding Coslada Local Police station and the home of chief Jiménez.

Once news of the arrests broke, a crowd of around fifty residents gathered outside the police station to vent their anger.

Ginés Jiménez has been Coslada's chief of police since 1986, and was elected president of the Spanish National Federation of Local Police Associations on two occasions - in 1994 and 2006.