Criminal Lawyers in Alicante — English-Speaking Defence

Reviewed by Javier Rincón Bernal and Manuel Rincón Bernal, members of the Málaga Bar (ICAMálaga) since 1999. Last updated 11 October 2026.

The Costa Blanca is home to one of Spain’s largest and most established communities of British and northern European expats. For many, it is their permanent home. For others, it is a place to holiday, invest or retire. Whatever brings you here, if you are facing a criminal charge or an arrest on the Costa Blanca, you need a specialist English-speaking criminal lawyer immediately.

RINBER Abogados Penalistas regularly defends clients from Alicante and across the Costa Blanca. We have over 25 years of experience in Spanish criminal law, we work in English, and we are available at any hour.

Criminal Law on the Costa Blanca

Spanish criminal law is governed nationally by the Código Penal and the Ley de Enjuiciamiento Criminal. These laws apply throughout Spain, including across the Valencia region and the Costa Blanca. Proceedings are conducted in Spanish and, in some instances in the Valencia region, in Valencian. All court documents, charges and judicial decisions are in Spanish.

For foreign nationals, this creates an immediate barrier. Even those with good conversational Spanish often find themselves unable to follow technical legal proceedings accurately — and an inaccuracy at a critical moment can have serious consequences. Having a bilingual specialist criminal lawyer at your side from the first moment is not a luxury; it is a necessity.

RINBER’s lawyers advise you in clear English throughout the entire process — from the initial arrest through investigation, hearings and trial to any appeal.

Alicante’s Court System

Criminal cases in Alicante are handled through a tiered court structure. The investigation phase is overseen by a Juzgado de Instrucción — an investigating judge who directs the gathering of evidence and decides whether charges should proceed. Less serious criminal matters are heard in the Juzgados de lo Penal, while more serious offences — including major drug trafficking, homicide, sexual offences and large-scale fraud — go before the Audiencia Provincial de Alicante.

Cases of national significance — major drug importation operations, cross-regional organised crime, terrorism — may be referred to the Audiencia Nacional in Madrid. RINBER has experience appearing before all of these courts.

Pre-trial detention (prisión preventiva) is a real possibility in serious cases, particularly those involving flight risk — a factor that courts assess differently for foreign nationals. Challenging a pre-trial detention order requires fast, skilled legal work from a lawyer who appears regularly before these courts.

Common Cases Involving Expats in Alicante

The types of cases we handle most often for clients on the Costa Blanca include:

• Property fraud: Off-plan property scams have affected thousands of foreign buyers on the Costa Blanca over the years. Cases may involve allegations against buyers as well as sellers, and the line between civil and criminal proceedings is not always obvious. We advise clients on both sides of these disputes.
• Assault and violent offences: Incidents in bars, on beaches or in residential disputes can lead to criminal charges faster than most people expect. Even a minor altercation can result in a criminal proceeding if a complaint is filed.
• Drink-driving (DUI): Spanish drink-driving laws are strict, and police checkpoints are common. A blood alcohol reading above the legal limit can result in criminal charges, particularly for repeat offenders or where an accident is involved.
• Financial crime and fraud: The complex property market and the movement of large sums of money in the expat community create conditions for financial crime allegations — both against and involving foreign nationals.

Drug Trafficking on the Costa Blanca

The Costa Blanca is a known entry and transit point for drug trafficking into Europe. Spanish law enforcement — including the Guardia Civil’s specialist anti-narcotics units and the Cuerpo Nacional de Policía — maintain an active presence along this coastline and conduct regular operations targeting trafficking networks.

Drug trafficking charges under the Spanish Penal Code carry serious penalties. For quantities above certain thresholds, for trafficking that forms part of an organised operation, or for cases involving substances deemed to cause serious harm to health, sentences can be very significant. Where trafficking is linked to organised crime, cases may be elevated to the Audiencia Nacional.

RINBER has extensive experience defending drug trafficking cases at every level — from individual possession with intent to supply, to major international trafficking operations heard before the Audiencia Nacional. We approach these cases with rigour, challenging evidence, procedure and the reliability of police operations.

Getting Urgent Representation in Alicante

Under Spanish law, a detained person must be brought before a judge within 72 hours of arrest. This is a non-negotiable legal deadline, and the period leading up to that judicial appearance is when the most important decisions about your case are made. What you say in a police interview, how your rights are exercised, whether conditions of release are challenged — all of this happens in those first hours.

You have the right under Spanish law to a lawyer of your choice — not simply the duty lawyer (abogado de oficio) who may be assigned to you if you do not appoint one. A duty lawyer is not a specialist; they handle whatever cases come through that day. A specialist criminal defence lawyer focuses exclusively on criminal law and can bring that expertise to bear from the very first moment.

When you call RINBER, we respond immediately. We advise you by phone on your rights and what to say, and we mobilise our lawyers to attend in person as quickly as possible. We regularly serve clients across the Costa Blanca and can reach Alicante promptly. The 72-hour window is the most critical period of any criminal case — and we make sure it is not wasted.

Contact a Criminal Lawyer in Alicante

If you have been arrested, summoned by police, or placed under criminal investigation on the Costa Blanca, contact RINBER Abogados Penalistas now. We are available every day, at every hour.

• Phone / WhatsApp: +34 627 467 042 — available 24 hours a day
• Online: Use our contact form for a confidential enquiry

We will respond immediately, explain your position in plain English, and begin your defence without delay. All consultations are strictly confidential.