In a joint operation of the Tax Agency, the National Police and the Civil Guard

• The agents have arrested four people – all of British nationality – for their alleged participation in the crimes of drug trafficking and membership in a criminal organization and have seized more than 100,000 euros in cash that they were carrying at the time of the intervention.
• During the operation, the agents seized 1,500 kilos of hashish that they found hidden in a double bottom that they had made in the hull of the boat.

August 30, 2019 .- Officials from the Tax Agency and agents from the National Police and the Civil Guard have dismantled a drug trafficking organization made up of people of British nationality and settled in Marbella. Four people involved in the organization have been arrested and 1,500 kilos of hashish have been seized. The leaders of the network had a “heated” recreational sports boat that they had docked in the marina of Marbella (Málaga) and that they used to transport illegal merchandise from the coasts of North Africa to those of our country.

Start of investigation

The first investigations took place when the agents became aware of the existence of a criminal organization based in Marbella and dedicated to drug trafficking. The leaders of the organization – of British nationality – had a pleasure boat that they would use to transport narcotics from Morocco to the Marbella town.

The investigations carried out allowed the agents to identify the leaders of the network – perfectly organized and with a clear distribution of tasks – all of British origin and who resided permanently in the Guadalmina area of Marbella. There they detected several high-end vehicles and homes that those investigated had and also verified that, in order to hinder police work, they used rental cars to travel. The agents confirmed the high standard of living that the leaders lived during their stay in Marbella, where they frequented restaurants and entertainment venues and had significant amounts of cash.

As a result of the investigations, the investigators detected how several members of the organization moved the boat, a motor yacht, docked in the marina. Later, adopting strong security measures, they left the place towards Guadalmina.

51 bales of hashish located

A surveillance device was immediately established that resulted in its location when it returned to the port, this time, with a deeper draft than normal, which is why a reconnaissance was carried out. After a thorough inspection, the agents located a double bottom and inside it were 51 bales of hashish with a total weight of 1,500 kilos of hashish.

In the police operation, three crew members of the boat were surprised arriving on land and, immediately afterwards, coming into contact with other members of the network, including the leader of the network, who were waiting for them in a vehicle.

At the time of the arrest, the agents seized cash from them, amounting to more than 100,000 euros the capital seized with the searches carried out.