Joint operation of the Tax Agency and the National Police

• The drugs would have arrived on the sailboat through a transfer from two semi-rigid boats
• The two crew members, of Bulgarian nationality, have been arrested.
• The organization would have changed the name and flag of the sailboat in an attempt to evade investigators, who consider proven its link with the seizure last year of another sailboat loaded with more than four tons of hashish.

November 27, 2021 .- The Tax Agency and the National Police, in a joint operation, have seized 4,760 kilos of hashish transported on a sailboat that was 67 miles from Cartagena (Murcia). Two Bulgarian nationals belonging to an organisation dedicated to transporting narcotic substances to Europe by sea have been arrested in the operation.

Joint investigations by the Customs Surveillance Service of the Tax Agency in the Balearic Islands and the National Police concluded with the verification of the existence of this criminal organisation and its intention to transport a large quantity of drugs to our coasts by sea. For this purpose they would use a sailing-type sports boat, named 'Floriana', flying the flag of the Republic of Poland.

According to previous investigations, the vessel 'Floriana' was named 'Salacia' and flew the flag of the Netherlands in 2020. These investigations culminated in March 2020 with the boarding of another vessel, called 'Phase One', with more than four tons of hashish inside.

Following this operation, the investigations carried out by the investigators led to the discovery that the sailboat 'Salacia' was waiting in the waters of the Island of Cabrera for the 'Phase One' and left the waters of the Balearic Islands heading east. These facts indicated to investigators that the "escape" was related to the seizure of the hashish and determined the close relationship that united both vessels and their crews, who remained awaiting further instructions from the criminal organization.

Following these events, the vessel changed its name and flag, registering in Poland. This is a common practice among criminal organisations, designed to make investigators lose track of the vessel and not raise suspicions about their illegal activities.

Tracking the new goal

However, this did not prevent the vessel from being controlled and detected again upon entering Balearic waters by officers from the Palma de Mallorca Customs Surveillance Operational Unit and the National Police, who have since then been continuously monitoring the vessel by sea and air.

Late on November 20, aerial means of the Customs Surveillance Service confirmed that two semi-rigid boats approached the sailboat 'Floriana', to supply it with the drug load that was later seized.

In light of these events, the crew of the Tax Agency's Customs Surveillance patrol boat 'Abanto' was immediately ordered to head to the estimated position of the sailboat to board it and confirm the transfer of drugs.

At 02:15 hours on November 21, some 70 miles southeast of Cartagena, the crew of the patrol boat 'Abanto' boarded the sailboat 'Floriana', confirming that it was carrying more than 100 bales, the usual ones used to hide hashish resin. Following this, the two crew members were arrested as alleged perpetrators of a crime of smuggling and a crime against public health, and the boat and the seized merchandise were seized, with the patrol boat and the sailboat heading towards the port of Cartagena.

Following the judicial search of the seized sailboat, ordered by the Court of Instruction number 3 of Ibiza on duty, a total of 139 bales with 4,760 kilos of hashish were found.