The Royal Gibraltar Police prevented a Royal Airforce plane from taking off on Wednesday in connection with an ongoing criminal investigation.

GBC understands that on board the plane was a serving member of the British military who was being investigated by the MOD for alleged sex offences.

No arrest has been made but the police also reportedly seized computer equipment they consider to be evidence in connection with crimes suspected to have been committed in Gibraltar.

Eye witness accounts suggest an RGP vehicle drove onto the runway to physically prevent the plane from taking off. But not before a standoff with an MOD vehicle which appeared to try to block the police car. It hints at a much bigger deadlock between the Ministry of Defence, the Royal Gibraltar Police and the Gibraltar government.

The RGP has jurisdiction over all criminal offences committed in Gibraltar and is duty bound to investigate. Yet the military was attempting to remove the suspect from the Rock, presumably to continue its investigation in the UK.

MOD Gibraltar and the Royal Gibraltar Police have not commented. ‬

There was gridlock on Devil's Tower Road & much of the northern end of town. A spokesperson for the RAF said they had tried to minimize the negative impact on the public. GBC understands there were very tense conversations between the RAF and RGP, as to why the runway barriers were down for so long - a full hour and 20 minutes. The RGP came under increasing pressure to deal with the traffic gridlock while the situation with the suspect was still live.

The plane left 1 hour 45 minutes after taking off, but the suspect was kept in Gibraltar. The traffic gridlock spread south and lasted about three hours.

It was a very tense situation for the RGP, the MOD, and the Gibraltar Government. GBC understands the office of the Chief Minister has been fully involved. If it is confirmed that the MOD was attempting to take the suspect out of the jurisdiction, it will raise serious political questions that will require diplomatic answers.