Marbella - the tip of the iceberg?

The funny thing about the anti-corruption Operación Malaya in Marbella, now in its third phase and an ever increasing number of former mayors and senior public servants in jail or under suspicion, is why did it take fifteen years for the police action.
I visited Marbella a few years ago, but it was already widely commented that there were all sorts of irregularities in urban development.
Recent news reports following Operación Malaya speak of commissions being paid across the construction industry, with some local officials living well beyond the level of their regular salaries.
If this has been going on for years, it would seem that nobody was very interested in opening up a can of worms to see who was involved.
That said, construction has been booming for the past decade in Spain and it would appear that the practice of paying commissions to get land rezoned, for planning permission or whatever other administrative favours might be required is not limited to Marbella. Little by little Spain will increase the level of control, but much of the damage and spectacular profiteering will have been done in the interim.

A recent BBC report captures the latest round of arrests including a former Mayor.
Elsewhere a $1 million liquor bill has recently come to light.

All in all, one should ask what the external and internal auditors have been doing for the past 15 years, not to mention the tax department and the police.