• Three people arrested for their alleged involvement in the events

• The first of the actions has involved the dismantling of a clandestine stinging center

February 19, 2024.- The Customs Surveillance Service of the Tax Agency has carried out two consecutive operations in which 419 kilos of snuff and 5,170 packs of tobacco have been seized in the province of Seville. Three people have been arrested for their alleged involvement in the events.

The first of the operations consisted of the dismantling of a clandestine tobacco-cutting centre in the Seville town of Los Palacios y Villafranca.

The operation, called 'Semilla', began in January, when agents from the Seville Operational Unit detected suspicious movements of several individuals in a warehouse in the Seville municipality.

As the investigation progressed, it was possible to identify the alleged perpetrators of the events under investigation, who regularly visited the chopping center.

On February 7, a device was established to intercept these individuals, resulting in the seizure of 384 kilos of tobacco, already packaged and ready for sale in one-kilo bags, as well as all the machinery necessary for the manufacture of the merchandise. Two arrests were made.

The investigation is still ongoing, so further arrests cannot be ruled out in the coming days.

Operation in Utrera

The second operation was carried out in two phases, within the so-called 'Operation Dominic'.

The first phase took place two days later, on February 9. As a result of surveillance carried out on an individual residing in Utrera, it was detected that he was driving a vehicle. As there was reasonable suspicion that he might be transporting illegal goods, he was stopped and the car was searched, where a total of 2,350 packets of tobacco were found, for which the corresponding administrative offence was processed.

After continuing with the investigations and surveillance of the same individual, the second phase of the operation was carried out on February 12, when he was intercepted while driving another vehicle in which he was transporting 1,360 packs of cigarettes. A search was then carried out at his home, which he used as a warehouse, and another 1,460 packets of cigarettes were seized; Likewise, 35 kilos of tobacco and various machinery for the manufacture and processing of tobacco were seized.

The total result of Operation Dominic was the seizure of 5,170 packets of tobacco and 35 kilos of snuff. In addition, the individual responsible for the smuggling has been arrested for allegedly committing a continuing offence of smuggling.

All those arrested and the goods seized in the two operations have been placed at the disposal of the Utrera Court, which is acting as on-call court.