The Tax Agency, in collaboration with Eurojust, Europol and France, dismantles a drug-trafficking organisation

• The organization transported hashish from the Andalusian coast to France in vehicles with double bottoms that they prepared in Girona and that were preceded by shuttle vehicles in counter-surveillance tasks.
• Ten people were arrested, including the leader of the organization, and eleven vehicles and more than 26,000 euros in cash were seized.
• International operation within the scope of Eurojust with a joint team from the Spanish Customs and the French Gendarmerie and Customs, with the support of Europol

October 9, 2017 .- The Tax Agency, in collaboration with the French Gendarmerie and with the support of the Directorate of Customs Operations (DOD) of Perpignan and Interpol, has dismantled a dedicated organization to hashish trafficking that operated in France and Spain. During the operation, 2,800 kilos of hashish were seized and ten people were arrested.

On October 1, in two simultaneous actions in France and Spain, the French Gendarmerie and Customs Surveillance of the Tax Agency seized 346 kilos of hashish at the French tollbooth in Vienne in a Mercedes Sprinter van that carried them in a double bottom and 30.7 kilos of hashish in the town of Sarriá de Ter, Girona, in an organization warehouse. In the course of these actions, three people were arrested in France and three in Spain, including the head of the organization who lived in Sarriá del Ter.

The dismantled criminal organization had its operations center in Girona and was dedicated to the road transport of hashish by van from the south of Spain to Girona. There they stored it in a store in Sarriá de Ter and in a warehouse in Báscara. They later transported it to France, using vehicles with falsified French license plates on the way out, which they then exchanged for Spanish ones for the return. In addition, they used shuttle cars that carried out counter-surveillance work to avoid police and customs controls. Once in France it was distributed to various buyers in the Marseille, Paris and Lyons area.

In total, ten people have been arrested, eleven vehicles have been seized (one truck, six vans and four cars, some of them with double funds) and 26,520 euros in cash that were vacuum packed and hidden in one of the vehicles. A total of 2,800 kilos of hashish have been seized in four police interventions in France and Spain.

Specifically, in February 2017, the French authorities carried out a control that led to the seizure of 465 kilos of hashish in an Iveco truck, and in March a Spanish Scania truck was seized in France with 1,276 kilos of hashish.

In turn, in June 659 kilos of hashish were seized in Alicante in a Citroen Jumpy van, and in August 24 kilos of hashish hidden under the rubber that covers the floor, in the chassis beams and in the Melilla Customs were seized at the Melilla Customs. The inside of the fuel tank of a Volkswagen Combi van.

The detainees are accused of alleged crimes of smuggling and against public health, falsification of public documents and membership in a criminal organization.

This culminates an investigation work that has lasted nine months and in which Spanish and French officials have worked jointly and coordinated in both countries.

The operation has been coordinated by Eurojust, forming an International Joint Team directed in Spain by the Investigative Court No. 3 of Girona.

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Customs Supervision: Filing complaints for smuggling and related crimes
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Email: denunciasvigilanciaaduanera@correo.aeat.es

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Note: Includes photographic annex