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A drug trafficking organization that operated on the coast of Huelva has been dismantled

A joint operation by the Tax Agency and the Guardia Civil

  • Ten people have been arrested and more than 4,600 kilos of hashish have been seized
  • The members of the criminal network took advantage of the summer season to go unnoticed, as they hid the drugs in the double bottoms of recreational boats.
  • During the investigations and as the seizures took place, the network looked for new areas to continue operating.

September 28, 2022.- The Tax Agency and the Civil Guard, within the framework of the Kazuya operation, have arrested ten people who are members of a criminal organization that introduced, through double funds, into recreational boats, large quantities of hashish. In total, more than 4,600 kilos of hashish have been seized, eleven boats and ten vehicles have been seized.

The operation began last June after learning of a recreational boat that could be used to transport hashish from the coast of Morocco.

From that moment on, the vessel was monitored, which after entering the sea, returned to the coast towards Isla Cristina (Huelva). The operatives observed how the organization took the boat out of the Isla Cristina marina and loaded it onto a trailer for transport by road.

At that moment, the agents intercepted the vehicle and carried out an inspection, in which they found, below deck, a double bottom with 720 kilos of hashish. The action ended with the arrest of the driver, the seizure of the drugs and the intervention of both the boat and the vehicle.

The investigators continued with the operation due to the possibility that the organization was using more recreational boats to take advantage of the summer season and go unnoticed for its illicit activities.

The Tax Agency and the Civil Guard deployed a joint device, by land and sea, that allowed the intervention of two boats in the Carreras River and another 1,959 kilos of hashish hidden in sophisticated double bottoms.

Following the latest arrest, the criminal group moved to the Piedras River, between the Huelva towns of Cartaya and Lepe. In this case, the operations seized three boats, 1,980 kilos of hashish and detained two of the crew members.

The investigators identified all the members of the organization and carried out several searches in the towns of Ayamonte, Isla Cristina, Lepe and Villablanca, authorized by the Court of 1 Instance and Instruction No. 4 of Ayamonte (Huelva).

The searches ended with the arrest of seven more people for the alleged crimes of money laundering, membership in a criminal organization and against health. Likewise, nine high-end vehicles, two large-capacity vans, six dirt bikes, a buggy, five boats, a jet ski, more than 6,000 euros in cash, a drone, three electric bicycles and various computer equipment were seized.

The Kazuya operation has been carried out by Customs Surveillance officials of the Tax Agency in Huelva together with members of Ocon-Sur and by the Anti-Drug Organized Crime Team (EDOA), belonging to the Organic Unit of the Judicial Police of the Civil Guard of the Huelva Command.

Filming of operation (to download the video you must enter the following web address):

https://we.tl/t-Smmijh1woH