Dramatic footage shows the astonishing moment cops wearing Balaclavas ask Manchester City star Erling Haaland to identify himself during a police raid at his favourite Costa beach club.
The Norwegian international was filmed putting his hands into his pocket to take out his ID after being surprised as he enjoyed some R&R at popular hangout Playa Padre in the resort of Marbella.
Moments earlier heavily armed police in riot gear were spotted running into the beach club as a helicopter hovered overhead.
The dramatic raid on Sunday evening at the club, officially opened in 2017 by Hollywood actress Eva Longoria, came three weeks after police wearing body armour stormed the famous Ocean Beach club in neighbouring Puerto Banus in a similar operation.
Stunned British holidaymakers in swim shorts and bikinis were ordered out of its pool so they could identify themselves.
Police officers in Balaclavas raided the popular hangout Playa Padre in the resort of Marbella
The Manchester City star looked surprised as he was asked to present his ID during the raid
Halaand was pictured at the venue last weekend, letting his hair down as he danced alongside a DJ
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The back-to-back club raids have followed a string of shootings in the area, sparking the launch of the so-called Operation Marbella in April to keep British and Irish tourists safe.
Haaland, enjoying some down time in Marbella where he and his former footballer dad Alfie own property after Norway failed to qualify for Euro 2024, regularly visits Playa Padre when he is in town.
He was pictured there last weekend, letting his hair down as he danced alongside a DJ in front of other revellers.
Club owners have not yet made any comment on social media about yesterday’s incredible broad-daylight raid, and Spanish National Police have not offered any information so far on the operation.
One expat Brit, commenting on what had happened, joked afterwards about the footage of police raiding the club: ‘Who knew the National Police were such Erling Haaland fans.
‘Actual footage of them running to get selfies with the Man City star at Playa Padre!’
Another onlooker, saying it had happened just before dusk, put the number of police involved at around 200.
The last high-profile raid of this kind in Marbella was on May 25 at the Ocean Club.
Haaland is enjoying his summer holiday following Norway’s failure to qualify for Euro 2024
Police issued loudspeaker messages in Spanish and English after going in saying: ‘This is just a routine check. The minute we finish you can continue enjoying your afternoon.
‘Don’t worry, there’s nothing serious going on.’
The images of the operation, which lasted nearly two hours and also involved a police helicopter which hovered overhead after officers moved in, showed why some revellers were left uneasy about their holidays being interrupted in such a radical way.
One clubber is understood to have been arrested, although police did not comment officially on the reason for the detention at the time. Operation Marbella was launched on April 11.
Police warned locals and visitors at the time they could expect to see more random stops and police checkpoints in and around the holiday destination.
They said nothing about surprise raids on busy tourist-popular venues, although shortly before the one at the Ocean Club heavily-armed officers crashed a gym at a sports club in the residential area of Nueva Andalucia near Puerto Banus and made three arrests.
Gym-users were asked for their ID before being allowed to continue with their routines.
The seven shootings so far this year in the Marbella area have included a March 11 attack on British-run eatery La Sala near Puerto Banus that led to the arrests in April of a British man and Irish national described by police as having links to organised crime.
Kerry Katona claimed recently she had U-turned on a decision to move to the famous Costa del Sol resort with her family including fiancé Ryan Mahoney because she no longer feels safe about the prospect following the violent incidents there.
Kerry Katona recently claimed she had U-turned on a decision to move to the famous Costa del Sol resort with her family
Fernando Bentabol, the prosecutor in charge of combatting narco crime in the province of Malaga which Marbella is part of, shone the spotlight on its dark underbelly in a recent newspaper interview by likening it to Medellin.
Asked by a local Spanish journalist if the Costa del Sol was turning into Colombia’s second largest city, the most violent in the world in the 1990s before a clean-up and the former home of notorious drug lord Pablo Escobar, he said: ‘Yes and no. It can’t be compared to Medellin because countries such as Colombia are the ones that produce drugs, and most of the actions there are related to plantations, as happens in Morocco for example with cannabis.
‘We are in the area where the drugs are introduced and distributed to Europe.
‘But in terms of the level of the organisations involved and their economic capacity, yes it can of course be compared.’
Locals have branded parts of Marbella like Puerto Banus the ‘Wild West’.
One suggested recently tourists should start thinking about putting on a bullet-proof vest with their swim shorts and sandals.
Another wrote on social media, expressing her fears an innocent person could be killed: ‘A stray bullet could end up entering a house.’
Playa Padre, which attracts a mainly international crowd, went up in flames in February 2019.
Eva Longoria opened it in 2017 because of her friendship with the owner. The actress was wrongly named as one of the owners following the inauguration.
Pamela Anderson and former Made in Chelsea star Ashley James have also been pictured partying there.
A spokeswoman for Spain’s National Police in Malaga said today the operation at Playa Padre had led to the arrest of a fugitive who was using fake ID.
Police went in around 8.30pm yesterday. It is not known how long they stayed.
The police spokeswoman said: ‘This was an inspection within the framework of Operation Marbella which was launched in April.
‘It led to the detention of a 33-year-old man who was the subject of an arrest warrant and is now facing extradition to the country that issued the warrant.
‘He presented false ID before his real identity was established and the arrest made.’
Well-placed sources said he was Iranian, although it is not known which country was looking for him.
Playa Padre describes itself on its website as a ‘unique place in Marbella where the magic and the influence of the Mediterranean Sea converge with the most exclusive rhythms and atmosphere.’
It adds: ‘Here we celebrate life by creating very special moments capable of provoking all kinds of sensations through our restaurant offering the best gastronomy, our location and its breathtaking views and our unmistakable stamp with the most relevant international shows and DJs.
Playa Padre describes itself on its website as a ‘unique place in Marbella
‘Any excuse is valid to live a unique experience at Playa Padre. Any reason is enough to give you a unique experience in Playa Padre.’
Standard single sunbeds, available until only 6pm on Sundays when Boho Sunday events featuring live music start, cost £33 and require a minimum £33 spend.
VIP beds for up to four people cost £335 because the minimum spend is £210. A bottle of Moet & Chandon champagne is included.
The glitzy venue is part of the Mosh Group, which has several establishments in the area including restaurants and beach clubs.
The bosses of the Ocean Club said after police stormed it last month they fully expected more surprise raids to take place in the coming weeks up and down the Costa del Sol.
In a statement released in the light of the shocking scenes of armed police raiding the Ocean Club, the venue’s managers said late last month: ‘From the management team at Ocean Club Marbella, we wish to address the incident involving the police which occurred on May 25 at our premises.
‘We would like firstly and foremost to express our gratitude towards our clients who were patient and willing to cooperate with the authorities during this unexpected turn of events.
‘In recent weeks the Spanish police have launched ‘Operation Marbella’ in light of recent happenings along the costa.
‘This plan of action has been put into place to protect our citizens in order to make sure Marbella remains a safe haven for visitors.
‘Over the last months, the press has shone a less than desirable light on our cherished town and this plan aims to return Marbella to its former glory.
‘In order to do this, law enforcement are increasing police presence and performing surprise raids in various establishments along the coast over the coming months.
‘We apologise for any inconvenience this has caused our esteemed clients and hope for understanding as these incidents are out of our control.
‘Since 2008 Ocean Club has made the safety of our clients a priority. Even though no criminal activity was detected on the day in question by the police forces, we must continue to cooperate with law enforcement in order to provide a safe environment for all.
‘Together we can make Marbella a safe and wonderful town to enjoy for many years to come.’
Before the club raid Haaland was spotted refuelling his £140,000 Ferrari at a petrol station
Before the club raid Haaland was spotted refuelling his £140,000 Ferrari at a petrol station in the southern Spanish port city of Algeciras around an hour’s drive west of Marbella.
He is thought to have been heading back to Marbella from the windsurfers’ paradise of Tarifa when he stopped to fill up his electric-blue Ferrari California.
Unconfirmed reports earlier this month said the Man City striker was considering following in the footsteps of Manchester United midfielder Casemiro by investing in a newly-promoted Costa del Sol football club.
Marbella FC announced on June 4 the Brazilian had become a shareholder in the Spanish third-tier side and had taken up a role on the board of directors.
The possibility of a shock Man City-Man United Costa tie-up rose with subsequent reports Haaland and his dad were considering following suit.
Erling, 23, regularly holidays in the area and was pictured in March with his girlfriend Isabel Haugseng Johansen visiting his dad’s new property at the Epic Marbella complex off the town’s famed Golden Mile.
As well as investing in property, the Man City star has also ploughed some of the money he has made from football into an upmarket restaurant in the area.
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