The Spanish Civil Guard arrested 15 people for sending marijuana to Germany and Poland

The Spanish Civil Guard, in a joint operation with the National Police and Customs Surveillance of the Tax Agency, have managed to dismantle a criminal group dedicated to the cultivation, harvesting, packaging and export of marijuana.

They operated through parcel and road transport companies whose final destination was Germany and Poland.

In total, the operation resulted in 15 arrests and the seizure of €160,000 in cash and six vehicles . Those arrested are accused of crimes against public health, as well as belonging to a criminal group, money laundering, and electricity fraud.

Warehouses rented as storage and apartments for growing drugs

The investigations began after becoming aware of the existence of the criminal organization, with an operation focused on identifying the people who, using parcel or road transport companies, were making shipments of narcotic substances to northern Europe, of which the investigators had seized 120 kilos of marijuana in different shipments.

Several individuals were located, coinciding with the harvest of the plantations, when they increased the number of shipments. Two industrial warehouses with no commercial activity were also located, but they showed an unusual amount of vehicle and van traffic. 

In one of the warehouses, a shipment of 84 kilos of marijuana was intercepted, hidden inside peaches being transported by truck to Poland. Two people were arrested. Furthermore, the drugs were being vacuum-sealed in the warehouse to mask their characteristic odor and then transported in ten-kilo boxes.

During the operation, two single-family homes in Toledo were located where the marijuana plantations were cultivated, which were transported in rented vans to the aforementioned warehouses.

The investigation culminated in a police operation that dismantled the criminal organization, arresting thirteen of its members, including the main leaders.

Eight house searches were also carried out in the provinces of Toledo and Madrid, resulting in the seizure of 26 kilos of marijuana buds, packaged and ready for shipment, and two marijuana plantations with more than 1,200 plants. Two of the seized cars had hidden compartments to safely transport the drugs to courier companies.