• Four people arrested and three others investigated for their alleged involvement in the events

• More than 2,000 kilos of tobacco and 47,200 cigarettes seized 

September 18, 2025.- The Customs Surveillance Operational Unit of the Tax Agency in Seville, in conjunction with the Fiscal and Border Analysis and Investigation Unit of the Civil Guard at the Port of Seville (UDAIFF), have dismantled a criminal organization based in the town of Sanlúcar la Mayor (Seville) that was involved in tobacco smuggling, as part of Operation Pueblo/Picaito.

The investigation began in March of this year, when the Seville Customs Surveillance Service's Operational Unit, together with the Civil Guard's UDAIFF (Official Unit for the Protection of Customs and Customs of Seville), received information alerting them to the shipment of cut tobacco to different locations across the country originating in Seville. At that time, a joint working group was created between both units, which resulted in the dismantling of a highly active criminal organization dedicated to the cutting, packaging, distribution, and sale of tobacco. 

As a result of the initial investigation, it was possible to identify a member of the organization, who was the person responsible for transporting the drug for distribution to different locations across the country.

Investigators were subsequently able to identify all members of the organization, their working methods, and the locations used for logistics operations, despite the strict security measures they adopted.

Once all the clues and evidence were gathered, the Judicial Authority ordered an entry and search of various locations in towns in the province of Seville. Thus, the factory where the product was cut, packaged and distributed, as well as the place where the cigarettes were tubed for later sale to the public, was dismantled.

Mixture of tobacco and scrap

When packaging cigars for later sale, the organization had the peculiarity of mixing tobacco and scrap, waste from the handling of tobacco leaves that generally contain impurities or foreign bodies, such as dust, vegetable waste, or textile filaments.

As a result of the operation, all the machinery used in the criminal activities was seized. In addition, 1,600 kilos of cut tobacco, 450 kilos of scrap, and 47,200 cigarettes prepared for sale were seized, all with a market value of approximately €350,000. Likewise, four people were arrested and three others were investigated for their alleged involvement in the events.

The organization, which is considered completely dismantled, may have put 42 tons of cut tobacco into circulation for sale to the public so far this year.

The Seville Customs Surveillance Service's Operational Unit, the UDAIFF of the Civil Guard at the port of Seville, the USECIC, and the Civil Guard from the Villamanrique de la Condesa Post (Seville) participated in the operation.