Joint operation of the Tax Agency and the National Police

• A patrol boat from the Tax Agency's Customs Surveillance Service, in an international operation, has boarded a sailboat loaded with some 6,000 kilograms of hashish
• This operation represents a police blow to the criminal organizations of the East, leaders in drug trafficking by sea.
• Its three crew members have been arrested and a drone, security cameras and a radio frequency detector, among other devices, have been seized in order to evade police action.

August 16, 2022.- The Customs Surveillance Service of the Tax Agency, in a joint operation with the National Police, in collaboration with the authorities of the United Kingdom and Italy, as well as with the participation of the CITCO (Intelligence Center against Terrorism and Organized Crime) and the MAOC-N (Center for Analysis and Maritime Operations in Drug Trafficking), have intervened in international waters of the Atlantic 130 miles off the coast of Huelva about 6,000 kilos of hashish and have arrested the three crew members on board the narco-sailboat bound for Spain.

This operation represents a police blow to the criminal organisations in the East, leaders in maritime drug trafficking. In addition, they have seized a drone, security cameras and a radio frequency detector, among other devices intended to facilitate criminal activity.

The investigation began in early 2021, when reports were confirmed that one of the most active criminal groups in Spain was preparing to acquire a sailboat for use in drug trafficking.

Thanks to international cooperation with the UK National Crime Agency and the Italian authorities, as well as the participation of CITCO (Centre for Intelligence against Terrorism and Organised Crime) and MAOC-N (Centre for Maritime Analysis and Operations in the area of Drug Trafficking), the sailboat was identified and police action was coordinated.

Investigation

The vessel, named BIBI and presumed to be flying the Maltese flag, left for Italy in February of this year, from where it moved to Spain in March, establishing itself on the Levantine coast as a logistics point and as a base of operations in order to finalise preparations prior to loading the narcotic in Africa.

After leaving Spain, they sailed to a point on the Moroccan coast where they loaded the drugs with the intention of returning to our country and introducing the narcotic into Europe through the south of the peninsula. Finally, and thanks to the international commitment of all the units involved, the vessel was intercepted in international waters of the Atlantic Ocean.

The Customs Surveillance Service established the appropriate device which resulted in its air and naval resources locating and boarding the sailboat 130 miles off the coast of Huelva.

The officers arrested the three crew members, including the captain of the boat, a captain with years of experience and extensive maritime knowledge, who had previously been arrested in similar circumstances aboard another drug-trafficking sailboat. The search of the ship resulted in the seizure of some 6,000 kilos of hashish, as well as a drone used to detect surveillance by police authorities, security cameras, and a radio frequency detector capable of locating geolocation devices.