Joint operation of the National Police and the Tax Agency

• A transnational criminal organisation has been dismantled and five people have been arrested, among whom is the head of an international network that has been in operation for months after avoiding a police operation carried out by different countries

• The network's infrastructure in Spain was led by a major drug trafficker who controlled a logistics network that distributed large amounts of drugs between different European countries

• Six entries and records have been made in the provinces of Alicante, Murcia, Las Palmas and Madrid, in which more than 35,000 euros were exchanged in cash, two boats and one vehicle, among others.

• A clandestine laboratory for the design of synthetic drugs was dismantled in one of the records carried out in an industrial warehouse in Murcia.

30 August 2023 .- Effective of the Customs Surveillance Service of the Tax Agency and agents of the National Police have intercepted a vessel loaded with more than six tons of hashish in the south of the Canary Islands. The collaboration of the Portuguese Jewish Police, the Swedish Police, was provided through its Interior Aggregator from Nordic countries in Spain, and the Dutch Police through its Spanish Interior Aggregator, as well as with the authorities French customs (dnrd) and the Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre (MOC), based in Lisbon (Portugal).

As a result of the operation, a transnational criminal organisation has been dismantled and five people have been arrested, including the head of an international network that has been in operation for months after avoiding a police operation carried out by different countries.

The network's infrastructure in Spain was led by a major drug trafficker known for its international links to transport large quantities of drugs between different European countries.

Six entries and records have been made in the provinces of Alicante, Murcia, Las Palmas and Madrid, in which more than 35,000 euros were exchanged in cash, two boats and one vehicle. In one of the records carried out, a clandestine laboratory for the design of synthetic drugs was dismantled, which was in an industrial warehouse in a Murcia town.

The investigation began in 2020 by the Central Brigade of Drugs when a sailboat was detected that was docked on the island of Lanzarote, which could be used for a maritime drug trafficking operation. After several investigations, agents established possible international connections, so the information was shared with international bodies, as well as with other European police units. As a result of this cooperation, the authorities of the Netherlands pointed out that there could be a criminal organisation of Dutch origin related to the vessel found in our country.

Alicante as a operations centre

As a result of the investigation, the police checked that an international criminal organisation based in the Netherlands used a Alicante town as a trading centre. The logistics and infrastructure of the criminal network in Spain was led by a major drug trafficker known for its international links by controlling a logistics network capable of transporting large amounts of drugs between different European countries.

The members of the organisation operated under strong security measures and used a very sophisticated modus operandi, with a high level of preparation and planning. They were moving in person between different countries to deal with the details of the illegal businesses they carried out, which made it difficult for the police to work.

6,044 Kilos of hashish distributed in 169 bundles

After several months controlling the network's movements, researchers detected that a vessel was moved to Alicante and that the members of the organisation were preparing it to embark on a voyage to the Atlantic Ocean.

In the event of the suspicion that it could contain narcotic substances, it was decided to intercept it, taking the approach to patrol the "Conciera" DRAVA "Customs Surveillance Service (DAVA), 95 miles south of the Canary Islands, located inside 6,044 kilos of hashish distributed in 169 bundles and holding their two crew members back.

Continuing with the investigation, the researchers carried out six entries and records in the provinces of Alicante, Murcia, Madrid and Gran Canaria, in which more than 35,000 euros were seized in cash, a multitude of mobile and satellite telephones, a variety of documentation of boats used by the organisation and a vehicle.

A clandestine drug design laboratory dismantled

During the registration in a building in a town in Murcia, the agents located and dismantled a clandestine laboratory of design of summary drugs in which a large number of substances were found used to prepare tablets and industrial machinery for the preparation of tablets and their counting. In addition, a air vessel was also seized.

In addition, in one of the records carried out at the address of one of the detainees in Alicante, the police seized small amounts of tusi (pink cocaine), hashish, marijuana and glass, as well as useful for retail distribution.

An international criminal has been detained for months

Five people have been arrested during the operation, including the leader of an international criminal organisation dedicated to drug trafficking and money laundering, who was smothered by the German authorities for which 15 years of prison is being requested.