• Six members of the network arrested as alleged perpetrators of the crimes of belonging to a criminal organization and crimes against public health

• Agents have seized 220 kilos of cocaine that was hidden in the structure of 20 tank containers with graviola pulp

July 18, 2024.- Officials of the Customs Surveillance Service of the Tax Agency, in a joint operation with the National Police, have dismantled a criminal organization dedicated to the importation of cocaine - from South America - hidden in double bottoms of metal pallets. Six members of the network have been arrested as alleged perpetrators of the crimes of belonging to a criminal group and crimes against public health. In total, 220 kilos of cocaine were seized, hidden in the structure of several containers containing graviola pulp.

The operation was carried out jointly by the Customs Surveillance Operational Unit of Seville, the Narcotics Group I of UDYCO Costa del Sol, the Narcotics Group of the Marbella Local Police Station and Group II of UDYCO-Pontevedra and, allowed 220 kilos of cocaine to be located in the port of Algeciras hidden among legal merchandise.

This arrest has led to the discovery of a criminal group that is believed to be smuggling cocaine into Spain via maritime containers.

Following the efforts, surveillance and monitoring carried out by the multidisciplinary team, it was possible to discover that the members of the network were travelling around different towns in Andalusia to carry out transactions and that they had planned to receive drugs - which could be hidden in a container.

During the extensive police operation, the agents were able to verify that the aforementioned container had arrived at the port, and that the merchandise had been removed by a truck that transported it to a warehouse in the town of El Ejido (Almería).

After verifying that the place did not correspond to the declared legal destination, investigators proceeded to search the warehouse where the cargo was introduced and after an inspection they managed to locate 220 kilos of cocaine hidden among the legal cargo, specifically inside metal structures. Each metal structure concealed ten packages of cocaine hydrochloride, so that a total of 200 packages were recovered from the 20 metal structures found in the warehouse, weighing 220 kilos.

Several members of the organization were arrested in this operation; the truck driver, the owner of the warehouse and the two occupants of a van who arrived at the scene to remove the hidden narcotic substance.

In a second phase, the agents proceeded to arrest two other members of the network in Madridejos (Toledo).

Finally, this police operation has culminated in the arrest of six people for drug trafficking and membership in a criminal organization. During the course of the operation, in addition to the 220 kilos of cocaine, a vehicle, six mobile phones and relevant documentation were seized.