Operation against drug trafficking

• 29 bales of hashish have been seized, practically the entire cargo carried by a semi-rigid boat, which was also seized thanks to the work of the crew of the Customs Surveillance Service helicopter.

• The operation is part of the operation established by the Tax Agency to control the maritime routes for hashish trafficking from North Africa.

August 1, 2022.- The Customs Surveillance Service of the Tax Agency has seized 29 bales with nearly 870 kilos of hashish and has seized a recreational boat, after managing to thwart a stash on Bonanza beach in Sanlúcar de Barrameda (Cádiz).

The operation began after a recreational boat was located on Friday afternoon, close to the coast, loaded with packages used to transport hashish, so the helicopter gave the corresponding notice requesting support.

Meanwhile, the crew of the smuggling boat probably noticed that they were being followed by the air and headed straight for Bonanza beach, at the mouth of the Guadalquivir River, only to run aground on the sand and flee inland.

Customs observers jumped ashore to secure the boat and the merchandise, at which point they found themselves surrounded by a large crowd of curious onlookers. Taking advantage of this circumstance, some people took advantage to harass the officers and try to steal the drugs, managing to escape with between one and two bales.

This led the helicopter pilot to protect the officers by placing the helicopter at a low altitude and managing to disperse the crowd, until reinforcements arrived; Finally, the Civil Guard and the National Police collaborated in controlling the area.

As a result of this action by the crew of the Customs Surveillance Service helicopter, 29 bales of hashish were seized and the recreational boat was seized, the ownership of which is now being investigated.

All the proceedings have been made available to the competent court and further arrests are not ruled out, as various lines of investigation have been established and attempts are being made to identify those responsible for the stash and those responsible for the theft of the drugs on the beach.

This action is part of the Tax Agency's control plan, which establishes maritime surveillance as a priority in the fight against hashish trafficking from North Africa.