Multi-million money-laundering probe into Syrian president's uncle and Costa del Sol villas seized

Rifaat al-Assad's luxury villas in Marbella and Puerto Banús (Málaga province) have been embargoed and bank accounts he holds in Spain frozen.

According to the courts, Rifaat was forced into exile in 1984, two years after he quashed an uprising in Hama, Syria, using extreme violence.

His brother Hafez al-Assad was in power at the time, and Rifaat, who was vice-president, tried to stage a military coup d'état to kick him out.

This failed, but Rifaat was given US$300 million (€281m) in State funds, although he has previously claimed to have been given it by the Saudi Arabian Royal family.

Rifaat, who will be 80 this August, was believed to be living in Paris in 2016, when French authorities launched a probe into his financial affairs and embargoed high-end homes he owned in the city.

Possible offences include hiding stolen goods, tax evasion and money laundering.

Spain has only recently become involved after an alert from France about how some of Rifaat's millions were tied up in 15 Costa del Sol villas, none of which were in his name.

Companies run by two of Rifaat's children and his wives are named on the title deeds.

Rifaat al-Assad's bank accounts are not the only ones to be frozen – another 16 people thought to be connected with his State-funded departure from Syria 33 years ago are under investigation and temporarily denied access to their funds.

As well as 76 bank accounts, Rifaat and his immediate family are said to own 503 properties, some residential, including a blue-chip hotel and several car parks, and the huge La Máquina country estate on the Costa del Sol valued at €60m.

Every single one has been confiscated.

The total property portfolio under scrutiny is said to be worth over €690m.

Inquiries have moved into Gibraltar in the last 24 hours, as it is thought even more laundered money may be held in the British-owned enclave.

Photograph: Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, whose uncle Rifaat al-Assad is under scrutiny by the National Court of Spain