The special Customs Surveillance device in Andalusia has arrested five people responsible for the events

In recent days, the Tax Agency has seized 4,800 kilos of hashish in two operations carried out by customs officials in the vicinity of the River Guadalquivir and the River Piedras, as part of the control actions performed by Customs Surveillance on the Andalusian coast, which seeks to combat drug trafficking and the smuggling of sensitive goods.

As part of the first operation, the Tax Agency seized over 2,300 kilograms of hashish on Tuesday morning at the mouth of the River Guadalquivir, when the vessels belonging to the Combined Customs Surveillance Unit in Cádiz, 'Gerifalte I" and "Milano II', boarded a black semi-rigid pneumatic vessel measuring eight metres in length, manned by three crew members. The vessel was carrying 73 bales of hashish, of the kind typically used to transport this type of drug. Three Moroccans were arrested as part of the operation, one of them a minor.

Those arrested and the drugs seized have been taken before the Court of Instruction Number 1 Sanlúcar de Barrameda on duty.

The second operation was performed off the coast of Huelva on Wednesday morning, near the mouth of the River Piedras, when a suspicious vessel was detected, whose British registration was found to not be valid. The patrol ship, HJ-X, subsequently boarded the vessel and discovered 85 bales of hashish onboard weighing 2,500 kg. The two crew members, of Spanish origin, were arrested following the interception of this yacht measuring 14 metres in length. They have been placed at the disposal of the Court of Huelva. The investigations by Customs agents are ongoing and further arrests may still be made.

These operations form part of the Plan known as "CERROJO" to control the Andalusian coast by Customs Surveillance officials.