DrugsNews

Dismantled in Marbella a criminal organization dedicated to drug trafficking that in turn supplied fuel to other drug vessels

Dismantled in Marbella (Málaga) a criminal organization dedicated to drug trafficking, proceeding to the arrest of eleven of its members. The coordination mechanisms have allowed the Six/Dompetit operation to be developed, in several phases and jointly, by agents of the Civil Guard and the National Police. The police investigation, culminated last April, has unmasked a network dedicated to the transport of narcotic substances from the north of Morocco.

Among the practices carried out by the main investigators, there is the rental of houses -in the name of third parties- that they used as “nurseries”, the acquisition of VTC licenses and the support of the relatives of the members who in other phases of the investigation they entered prison. In total, 3,230 kilograms of hashish, 216 fuel canisters, three semi-rigid boats, five outboard motors and nine vehicles -four of them VTC- were seized. By order of the judicial authority, five of the detainees have been imprisoned.The investigation began in October 2020, when information was obtained about a group of people settled in the neighborhood of Las Albarizas (Marbella), who were allegedly dedicating themselves to the stash of narcotic substances transported from the north of Morocco. 

The link between two investigations: 2,780 kilograms of hashish 

In September of the same year, National Police agents seized 2,780 kilograms of hashish and proceeded to arrest two people who were imprisoned. This fact, initially independent, allowed time later to link several of its members with the first steps of the investigated criminal structure.The investigations determined that the organization was structured in such a way that it maintained a high degree of internal security in its activities to avoid leaks. With this objective, the ringleaders were in charge of supporting the families and the legal defense of the members who were detained and imprisoned, to avoid their collaboration with the Security Forces and Bodies, and to ensure their silence about criminal practices. . In order to obtain all possible information for the dismantling of the criminal network and guarantee the success of the investigation, it was carried out jointly by agents of the National Police and the Civil Guard.

Benefits after a VTC partnership 

The police coup against the organization allowed the discovery of various practices used by the main investigated. One of them consisted of the investment of the profits obtained with the crimes in the acquisition of licenses for rental vehicles with driver -VTC-, even constituting a company. At the same time, they maintained a medium-scale drug distribution business, and carried out assistance work for other criminal organizations by supplying fuel.In the different phases in which the so-called Six/Dompetit operation has been carried out, agents of the Civil Guard and the National Police verified that, in order to carry out drug trafficking activities, both from the most complex transport operations, of narcotic substances and assistance to other organizations, up to “retail” sales, the organization would have been structured in such a way that they could carry out their activities with a high degree of internal security, establishing well-defined roles and functions for the success of their objectives. defined among its members. The organization employed up to 30 people in each transport and shipment maneuver, making use of the recruitment of young people, who carried out surveillance functions, or loaded fuel/drugs, but from whom the guard points were hidden, establishing tight groups to prevent leaks and ensure the execution of criminal activity. Also, they had industrial warehouses, premises and homes where they hid the boats, the engines and the fuel drums, which they used both for their own narco boats and for those of other organizations to which they gave logistical support.In several subsequent interventions, carried out by both police forces, 450 kilograms of hashish, 124 grams of cocaine, a high-end vehicle, 216 jugs of fuel were seized, which led to the seizure of a total of 10,800 liters, as well as a pneumatic boat.Finally, the police exploitation took place on April 27, where 11 arrests and seven entries and searches were made. In them, 9,000 euros in cash, nine vehicles -four of them used as VTC-, three semi-rigid boats, five engines, numerous white weapons, state-of-the-art communication devices and relevant documentation for the investigation were seized.