Six arrested in Benalmádena hotel fraud as ‘Operation Target’ uncovers €3m scam

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National Police evict the Vistamar hotel after a complex network of companies allegedly used forged documents to operate the business illegally for years

José Carlos García

Benalmádena

Thursday, 12 February 2026, 15:29

A judicial investigation into the illegal operation of the Vistamar hotel in Benalmádena Costa has resulted in six arrests and uncovered a fraud scheme estimated at three million euros.

The crackdown, known as Operation Target, culminated on Wednesday morning with a court-ordered eviction. National and Local Police officers descended on the premises to return control of the building to its rightful owners, Promociones Los Nadales, who claim they have not received rent for the business since 2019.

A 'complex network' of fraud

The National Police investigation has focused on Grupo Vega, a business conglomerate headquartered on Malaga’s Calle Larios. Among those detained and subsequently released on bail is the group's top executive, identified by the initials C.V.M.

According to the Economic Crimes Unit, the suspects used a "complex network" to sublet the premises through a succession of companies without authorisation. This allowed them to profit from the hotel’s operations while bypassing payments to the property owners.

Investigators allege the group used falsified contracts to deceive Benalmádena Town Hall and maintain their grip on the complex, even after its registration in the regional tourism registry was cancelled.

Illegal operations and squatting

The hotel had been operating in breach of Andalusian law for over ten months before the local council finally forced its closure last October. Despite the shutdown, several employees of the conglomerate remained living on-site to maintain physical control of the property until this week's eviction.

The investigation also implicates the manager of Alamiromar, the hotel’s original tenant. The manager, an Iranian national identified as M.A., is currently facing charges but was not arrested as he is already serving time in prison for an unrelated case.

During the police investigation, it was discovered that not only did the owning company not get paid, but also no payments were made between the companies that successively ran the hotel.

To obtain authorisation from Benalmádena town hall to continue operating as a hotel, falsified contracts were used "in order to perpetuate their control of the hotel complex".

The estimated damage caused to the owning company has been set at three million euros. Fifteen bank accounts have also been frozen, as well as 16 properties valued at around 3.3 million euros. All are linked to those under investigation in Operation Target, which remains open.