Joint operation of the Tax Agency and the National Police

• The operation has been carried out in the towns of Torrevieja, Pilar de la Horadada, Orihuela and Molina del Segura
• Nine people have been arrested and five raids and searches have been carried out, seizing 5,000 kilos of tobacco leaves, 300 marijuana plants, 900 grams of buds and 800 grams of cocaine, as well as 14,000 euros in cash.

February 17, 2023 .- Customs Surveillance officials from the Tax Agency and agents from the National Police, in a joint operation, have dismantled a criminal organization in Alicante that was dedicated to the cultivation, sale and distribution of narcotic substances and tobacco smuggling.

The operation, called 'Kubika/Azafran', began with an investigation by Customs Surveillance in Alicante into an organisation dedicated to tobacco smuggling. Later, in coordination with the National Police, a complete network was discovered that included, in addition to smuggling, the production of marijuana through indoor plantations and international drug trafficking.

Following investigations, it was discovered that the criminal organisation distributed the narcotic substance to European countries (mainly to Holland) using tourist vehicles equipped with camouflaged spaces where the drugs were hidden to transport the drugs.

As a result, a joint operation was carried out on 8 February, which led to the dismantling of the criminal organisation, made up of Polish and Spanish citizens residing in Alicante and Murcia.

During the operation, five raids were carried out in the towns of Torrevieja, Pilar de la Horadada and Orihuela (Alicante) and Molina de Segura (Murcia), resulting in the arrest of nine people, six of them Spanish nationals and three Polish nationals.

During the searches, 5,000 kilos of tobacco leaves, 300 marijuana plants, 900 grams of buds and 800 grams of cocaine were seized. In addition, 14,000 euros in cash, five vehicles, an air pistol, knives, fake license plates and various devices used to operate the dismantled plantation were seized.

The operation was carried out by Customs Surveillance of the Tax Agency in Alicante and agents of the Judicial Police (UDYCO) and Citizen Security of the Provincial Police Station of Alicante and the Superior Headquarters of Murcia with the collaboration of the GOES of the Superior Headquarters of Valencia, under the direction of the Court of Instruction No. 1 of Orihuela (Alicante).