A joint operation by the Tax Agency and the Guardia Civil

• Dismantled a criminal organization dedicated to the promotion, production and sale of narcotic substances in the Aridane Valley

• 14 kilos of marijuana buds, 2.5 kilos of hashish and more than 16,000 euros in cash have been seized

June 15, 2022.- Officials of the Customs Surveillance Service of the Tax Agency and agents of the Civil Guard belonging to the investigation area of the Main Post of the Llanos de Aridane, have detained 13 people for a continuous crime against public health, in the modalities of promoting and favoring the consumption of narcotics, cultivation and manufacturing of narcotics, retail sales of narcotics, membership in a criminal organization, money laundering and smuggling.

Within the framework of the 'Snoopix' operation, and after being entrusted with the investigation work by the Prosecutor's Office at the beginning of July, the Civil Guard Agents established different surveillance operations and were able to verify that narcotics were being sold. cannabis origin at the headquarters of a Cannabis shared consumption association, located in the Llanos de Aridane.

A large number of people came to the premises' headquarters daily, also verifying that this association was advertised on social networks, offering a wide range of cannabis products at different prices, even referring to the leader's own crops and resin production. of the organization. In addition, they promoted a ' grow shop ', which was run by the president of the association, who boasted of an ostentatious life.

After various investigations, it was possible to verify how this organization was dedicated to the sale, import and export of cannabis seeds of illicit origin, as they were specimens not contemplated in the regulations in force at the state and European level for the commercialization of industrial hemp, and that They did not appear in the Variety Registry.

In view of the direction of the investigation, it is brought to the attention of Customs Surveillance officials of the Tax Agency specialized in this type of investigations and to whom the Judicial Authority had entrusted the support to the Civil Guard agents for a patrimonial study and verify the existence of a possible crime of money laundering, associated with public health crimes and the alleged smuggling of cannabis seeds.

After having sufficient evidence, judicial entry and search warrants were requested at the homes of the main leaders of the organization, the headquarters of the association and the headquarters of commerce.grow shop", involving agents from the Civil Guard of different specialties, Reserve and Security Group number eight from the Canary Islands, units of the Cynological Service, and Citizen Security agents from the Company of Santa Cruz de la Palma, along with the Tax Agency officials, seizing a large quantity of narcotic substances of Cannabis origin in the records: 14 kilos of marijuana buds, 2.5 kilos of hashish, 16,163 euros in cash, three vehicles, physical documentation, computer and electronic equipment, as well as numerous packages returned by foreign customs.

After the documentary analysis examined at the Judicial Headquarters, it has been confirmed that at least 1,704 packages have been sent between 2020 and 2022, to destinations on all continents, with destinations in South America predominating.

The packages were sent as second-hand gift books, hiding various types of seeds inside, which were hidden with X-ray opaque elements.