New blow to drug trafficking. Air and naval means of the Tax Agency intervened in the operation. The operation remains open and there is the collaboration of the Civil Guard.

May 8, 2009. On the night of May 7, the Tax Agency seized more than 4,500 kilos of hashish that were on board a glider boat that was approaching to unload on the Murcian coast near Cabo de Palos. The operation was carried out thanks to the investigations of the Central Customs Surveillance Investigation Service and, thanks to the aerial observation service, was completed when the vessels “Arao” and “Cormorán” proceeded to assault the suspicious vessel.

In total, about 4,500 kilos of hashish were seized in the Cal Blanque area, approximately where Cabo Palos begins; a very rugged area, with no road access, where a lot of personnel is needed to remove the bales by hand. A 13-meter-long inflatable has been intervened, with four 250 HP engines and two high-end vehicles; At the moment there are six foreign detainees.

The operation is still open with the intervention of the Civil Guard (helicopter and ground patrols) so new arrests will occur in the next few hours.

The “Arao” boat is currently returning to its base in Alicante and the “Cormorán” to its base in Cartagena. This new arrest confirms the effectiveness of the orientation towards investigative actions of complex drug trafficking plots that are complemented by money laundering investigations of the main drug trafficking networks in Spain.

The Tax Agency considers investigation fundamental in the fight against drug trafficking, and it is in this aspect that it has a very important impact with the focus on rapid operational response that complements the risk analysis, investigation and control of the transport of goods by different routes.