Spain seizes property worth $735M linked to Assad’s uncle
MADRID — Spanish police investigating a money laundering case on Tuesday raided properties and blocked dozens of bank accounts, including some belonging or linked to relatives of former Syrian vice-president Rifaat Assad — the exiled uncle of Syria’s current leader.
Civil Guard police said the searches were carried out in the southern coastal towns of Marbella and Puerto Banus with the aid of French police. They followed a request by National Court judge Jose de la Mata who is probing money-laundering crimes carried out by a gang in the two towns, a court statement said.
Two of Rifaat Assad’s wives and six of his sons are among the 15 people investigated.
The judge ordered the seizure of more than 500 properties owned by Rifaat Assad and his relatives, a court statement said. Most of them are located in Puerto Banus, a luxury marina in Costa del Sol. The property stock, valued at 691 million euros ($735 million), includes a 33-square kilometre (12.7 sq. mile) estate valued at 60 million euros.