DrugsSmuggling

The 31 members of a network dedicated to drug trafficking are arrested on the coasts of Andalusia

The Civil Guard, within the framework of the “RIGIDITY” operation, has detained the 31 members of a criminal organization of British origin based on the Costa del Sol since 2015 dedicated to drug trafficking and operating on the coasts of Andalusia . Among those arrested is the leader of the network.

The investigation began after learning that an organization dedicated to drug trafficking intended to settle in the province of Malaga. With the progress of the investigations it was proven that they intended to introduce hashish through sailboats through different ports of the Spanish geography.

As a result of the first investigations, in the summer of 2015, 1910 kg of hashish were seized that they were trying to introduce into two sailboats through the Sotogrande-San Roque Marina, proceeding to the arrest of three people.

Continuing with the investigations into this criminal group, a new operation was detected again in September 2016, where on this occasion the chosen port was La Alcaidesa in La Línea de la Concepción (Cádiz), 690 kilograms of hashish were seized and of the three boats that they had in their possession, proceeding on this occasion to the arrest of six people who were in charge of transporting and unloading (braceros) of the drug.

The investigation continues and the civil guards know that this organization would have made contacts for its illicit activity in ports of all the Andalusian provinces and in Tarragona.

Finally, and after detecting last September 2019 the arrival in Spain of the leader of the organization to coordinate the drug trafficking operation in situ, thus allowing the investigation to be reactivated, and also identifying the people who currently financed the illicit activities and, given the intense activity carried out by the same linked to drug trafficking, led to the interception last March of two new ships.

The ships sailed through Spanish waters loaded with 666 kilograms of hashish, proceeding in this last stage of the investigation to the arrest of 22 people, of British, Dutch and Spanish nationality, the latter giving logistical support to the investigated organization, and the realization of 07 entries and registrations in towns of Estepona, Fuengirola, Motril and El Ejido.

The operation, in which 31 people have finally been arrested and 3,226 kilograms of hashish intervened, has been directed and supervised by the Court of Instruction No. 1 of Marbella, and developed by civil guards of the Organized Crime and Anti-Drug Team of the Guard Civil de Málaga (EDOA), the Organized Crime Team of the Central Operational Unit (ECO) and the Coordination Body for Operations against Drug Trafficking (OCON SUR), as well as the Commanderies affected. In addition, the Civil Guard has had the close collaboration of the UK’s NCA (Criminal Agency).