Gerry 'The Monk' Hutch has not returned to the Costa del Sol since his arrest there almost three years ago.
He has given the resort of Fuengirola a wide berth following his release from prison last Autumn even though he owns a €300,000 penthouse apartment in the holiday hotspot popular with Irish tourists.
Locals say he has not been seen back in the town since his high-profile arrest in the Limoncello Restaurant in August, 2021.
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Hutch had been on the run from Gardai for months at the time over the Regency Hotel murder of David Byrne when he was nabbed by Spanish police in an undercover operation.
He was about to have dinner with his wife when cops swooped in and nicked him.
The notorious Dublin criminal, 60, had been living in a flat just around the corner and had eaten in the Italian eatery most nights.
Yesterday, staff at the restaurant said they hadn't seen 'Señor' Gerry, as they call him, since his arrest and his subsequent release from prison eight months ago.
One of the waiters said: "We heard he was found not guilty of the crime he was accused of. He has not been back here since his arrest.
"Some Irish people said he was due to come back to Fuengirola since he was freed but nobody has seen him around here for a few years now.
"He was just an ordinary customer to us and a very nice man. You can only judge people as you find them, and he always treated all of the staff with great respect.
"We were all shocked and surprised when the police stormed in and arrested him at the time.
"It didn't affect business and loads of Irish people came in here afterwards to have a look."
It is understood 'The Monk' is now living most of the time in Lanzarote, where he had largely resided for over 10 years before Gardai made him a suspect in the Byrne murder.
The high profile killing of the Kinahan Cartel henchman led to the Hutch/Kinahan feud, which left 18 people dead.
Gerry Hutch was found not guilty of the Byrne murder by three judges at the Special Criminal Court and was freed from jail in October last year.
He is believed to own a number of properties in Lanzarote and has based his Spanish property estate business there. He even pays taxes in Spain in his own name.
One Irish publican in Fuengirola who didn't want to be named said: "Gerry has not been seen back on the Costa de Sol since he was freed by the courts last October.
"There are probably far too many Irish tourists here for his liking. I'd say it is far easier for him to keep a low profile in Lanzarote and that's why has hasn't come back here. I wouldn't particularly blame him."
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