Joint investigation of the Tax Agency and National Police

• In the 'Caravan' operation, 15 people have been arrested and 1,200 kilos of hashish have been seized in a semi-rigid boat measuring 12 meters in length, a trailer truck with a trailer, various electronic maritime navigation equipment and waterproof clothing for piloting drug boats.
• The investigation began after a 'turnover' of 870 kilos of hashish that occurred due to disagreements between the members of the organization.

 

 December 19, 2019 .- Customs Surveillance of the Tax Agency and the National Police have dismantled, in a joint investigation, a drug trafficking organization based in the province of Malaga dedicated to the trafficking of important quantities of hashish.

In the 'Caravan' operation, 1,200 kilos of hashish, a 12-meter-long semi-rigid boat with three engines, a trailer truck with a trailer, electronic maritime navigation equipment and waterproof clothing for piloting drug boats, among other effects, have been seized. and 15 people of Spanish and Arab origin have been arrested for their alleged involvement in the plot.

 

A 'turnover' among the members of the organization

The investigation began due to a robbery with violence – 'overturn' in operational jargon – that occurred in the month of May in the Puerto de la Torre neighborhood, in the capital of Malaga, during a transport of a narcotic substance that the criminal organization was transporting. for hiding in Almogía (Málaga).

The agents managed to intercept the road transport and seize 870 kilos of hashish, thus beginning the investigations by the acting police units. The efforts led to the arrest of several people, determining that the 'overturn' occurred as a consequence of the disagreements of one of the members of the organization with respect to the rest of the group.

 

Two phases of exploitation

This research has been carried out in two phases. In a first, it was possible to determine the presence of two members of the organization dedicated to the transportation and custody of narcotics in the vicinity of the Guadalhorce Industrial Estate, with those investigated adopting extensive security measures.

Continuing with the investigations, at the beginning of October, a van was detected that was being driven with the escort of two other vehicles towards La Línea de la Concepción (Cádiz) transporting 330 kilos of hashish distributed in 11 bales. On the return trip to Malaga, the van was intercepted and its driver and another member who was driving one of the escort cars were arrested.

The second support vehicle, called the 'shuttle', began a flight that led from the Estepona-Guadiaro tollbooth on the AP7 highway, in Manilva, to the Plaza de Toros Vieja area, in the capital of Malaga. During the chase, the two occupants of this car ignored the patrols' instructions, even ramming and causing damage to three police vehicles until they were finally arrested.

At the end of November, investigators detected how members of the plot were in a position to transport a semi-rigid boat, one of the so-called 'narco-boats', in order to be used to transport narcotic substances.

In this way, a trailer truck carrying a canvas semi-trailer was located in Cártama (Málaga), the owner of which was one of the people that the leaders of the organization used as a 'straw man' to put various properties in their name. The trailer truck was intercepted in the vicinity of the Guadalquivir River, as it passed through the municipality of Lebrija (Seville) and, taking advantage of the moment in which they were preparing to deliver the boat to be launched into the waters of the river, the agents detained three people and the 'narco-boat' of about 12 meters in length and three engines – with a total power of 1050 hp – were seized.

 

Watertight water suits seized

Finally, at the beginning of December, in coordination with the Investigative Court No. 1 of Malaga, five members of the criminal organization were arrested, among whom were its top leaders. During the operation, three home searches were carried out in which 44,000 euros in cash, abundant electronic maritime navigation material and eight waterproof suits intended for the crew members of the 'narco-boats' were seized.

One of the houses was used by one of the leaders as a concentration point for the crews of the 'narco-boats', and two hashish tablets of the so-called 'samples' and two accounting books were also found in this property, as well as four waterproof drums. with food still fresh, destined for members of the crews who are on the high seas waiting to load the narcotic substance that they seek to store on the coast.

With operation 'Caravan' one of the most active criminal organizations in the province of Malaga is dismantled.

  

Filming (to download the video you must enter the following web address):

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