Judge orders seizure of book 'Fariña'

MadridJudge Alexandra Fontana, of Collado Villalba [Madrid] ordered the seizure of Fariña [‘flour’ in Galician, a slang term for cocaine], Nacho Carretero’s book, in which he probes the history of drug trafficking in Galicia. The judge's injunction is a precautionary measure following the lawsuit filed by the former mayor of O Grove, José Alfredo Bea Gondar, in which he alleges that the book violates his right to honour. In a ruling which the EFE news agency has access to, the Madrid court orders the publisher, Libros del KO, to immediately halt the printing and distribution of the book both through online sales and in bookshops.

A spokesperson for the publishing company confirmed to EFE that they have already passed on the court order to their distributor in order to halt further sales of copies of Fariña. The measure implies the "temporary deposit" or impounding of existing specimens by withdrawing from the market those that have already been distributed. The company is legally bound to comply with the injunction. As a result, Fariña will cease to be sold until the case is resolved, unless in the meantime the Provincial Court of Madrid accepts the appeal which has been filed by the publishers.

Bea Gondar is seeking €500,000 compensation due to an alleged violation of his right to honour. The former mayor has already paid a €10,000 deposit so that the precautionary measure involving the seizure of Fariña would go ahead.