Joint operation of the Tax Agency and the National Police

• The drugs would have arrived on the sailboat through a transfer from two semi-rigid boats
• The two crew members, of Bulgarian nationality, have been arrested
• The organization would have changed the name and flag of the sailboat to try to elude the investigators, who consider its link to the seizure last year of another sailboat loaded with more than four tons of hashish proven.

November 27, 2021 .- The Tax Agency and the National Police, in a joint operation, have seized 4,760 kilos of hashish transported on a sailboat that was 67 miles from Cartagena (Murcia ). In the operation, two people, of Bulgarian nationality, belonging to an organization dedicated to the transport of narcotic substances to Europe by sea, were arrested.

Joint investigations by Customs Surveillance of the Tax Agency in the Balearic Islands and the National Police concluded with the confirmation of the existence of this criminal organization and its intention to transport a large quantity of drugs to our coasts by sea. For this they would use a sailboat-type sports boat, named 'Floriana', with the flag of the Republic of Poland.

According to previous investigations, the 'Floriana' ship had the name 'Salacia' and the flag of the Netherlands in 2020. These investigations culminated in March 2020 with the boarding of another vessel, called 'Phase One', with more than four tons of hashish inside.

After this operation, the investigations carried out by the investigators led to the discovery that the sailboat 'Salacia' was waiting in the waters of the Island of Cabrera for 'Phase One' and left the waters of the Balearic Islands heading east. These facts indicated to the investigators that said 'escape' was related to the seizure of hashish and determined the close relationship that united both vessels and their crews, who remained waiting to receive new instructions from the criminal organization.

After these events, the vessel changed its name and flag, registering in Poland. This is a common practice of criminal organizations, intended to make investigators lose track of the vessel and not raise suspicions about their illegal acts.

Tracking the new goal

However, this did not prevent the vessel from being controlled and detected again upon entering Balearic waters by officials of the Customs Surveillance Operational Unit of Palma de Mallorca and the National Police, carrying out continuous monitoring of the vessel from that moment on. by sea and air means.

Late on November 20, the Customs Surveillance Service's air resources confirmed that two semi-rigid boats approached the sailboat 'Floriana', to supply it with the cargo of drugs subsequently seized.

Given these events, the crew of the Customs Surveillance patrol boat 'Abanto' of the Tax Agency was immediately ordered to go to the estimated position of the sailboat to board it and confirm the transshipment of drugs.

At 02:15 hours on November 21, about 70 miles southeast of Cartagena, the crew of the patrol boat 'Abanto' boarded the sailboat 'Floriana', confirming that it was carrying more than 100 bales, the usual ones to hide. hashish resin. After this, the two crew members were arrested as allegedly responsible for a crime of smuggling and a crime against public health, and the boat and the seized merchandise were seized, setting the patrol boat and the sailboat towards the port of Cartagena. .

After carrying out the entry and judicial search of the seized sailboat, ordered by the Court of Instruction number 3 of Ibiza acting as guard, a total of 139 bales with 4,760 kilos of hashish were found.