by Walter Finch
Mohamed Derbah, a businessman with long-standing connections to Tenerife’s criminal underworld, was charged in March 2024. The charges come during the extradition hearing of Paul Blanchard, a former accountant and self-described undercover spy. Blanchard, 79, worked in Derbah’s organization for years, claiming he provided British and Spanish intelligence services with vital information about criminal activity and terrorist groups, including IRA and ISIS.
Blanchard, who is fighting extradition to Spain for his alleged involvement in money laundering, told a London court he was operating undercover for the Spanish intelligence service (CGI) between 1999 and 2001. He revealed that his intelligence could have prevented major attacks like the Madrid bombings and London’s 7/7 bombings, claims which he insists were ignored by CGI. Blanchard believes he is being targeted unfairly by Spanish authorities, asserting his role as a government informant during his time in Derbah’s network.
Blanchard’s defense also highlights his role in exposing Derbah’s ties to notorious criminals, such as the M25 road rage killer, Kenneth Noye. The investigation into Derbah has spanned over two decades, with multiple failed attempts to bring him to trial for fraud, money laundering, and connections to the 1983 Brink’s-Mat gold bullion robbery.
Derbah’s criminal activities allegedly extended to running fraudulent timeshare schemes in Tenerife, a criminal enterprise he operated with connections to figures like Noye and the infamous ‘Goldfinger’, Palmer, who was later murdered. Despite his criminal past, Derbah has recently entered local politics in Tenerife with his newly-formed political party, Fuerza Canaria, which claims to be dedicated to improving the community. However, attempts to reach Derbah through his party’s listed contact details were unsuccessful, with his phone number reported as non-functional.
While Derbah denies all wrongdoing, his ongoing legal battles and his extensive criminal history continue to make headlines as Spanish authorities move forward with his trial.