22 members of a criminal organization dedicated to large-scale drug trafficking arrested in Almería

Joint operation of the Tax Agency and the National Police

• They operated with speedboats to 'unload' the drugs from the high seas to the coast of Granada and Almería and they transported the narcotic to any point on the peninsula using the 'go fast' method.
• 745 kilos of hashish, 2,600 ecstasy pills, cocaine, crystal meth, two pleasure boats and a marijuana plantation have been dismantled.
• Those arrested, nine of whom have been sent to prison, are accused of drug trafficking, belonging to a criminal organization and electricity fraud.

June 11, 2022.- Customs Surveillance officials of the Tax Agency, in a joint operation with agents of the National Police, have arrested in Almería 22 members of a criminal organization dedicated to large-scale drug trafficking. They operated with speedboats to 'unload' the drugs from the high seas to the coasts of Granada and Almería and they transported the narcotic to any point on the peninsula using the 'go fast' method. 745 kilos of hashish, 2,600 ecstasy pills, cocaine, crystal meth, two pleasure boats and a marijuana plantation have been dismantled. Those arrested, nine of whom have been sent to prison, are accused of drug trafficking, membership in a criminal organisation and electricity fraud.

The investigation, which initially involved the collaboration of the Civil Guard, began in October last year. The agents found out that several people in the province of Almería, linked to recreational boats, could be linked to the transport of hashish to the coast of Almería and that they had made their mission of 'unloading' drugs their way of life.

The agents' investigations revealed that the organisation, once it reached the coast with the boats loaded with the narcotic, was received by a large group of people who began unloading burlap bales with the narcotic, and then hid them in a van that quickly left the place along rural roads and between greenhouses to try to avoid possible surveillance and surveillance.

In this first phase, a boat was detected which, after heading at high speed towards the coast, ran aground on the beach of Alcazaba, where those in charge of unloading the narcotic and the transporters were located, and the pilots of the boat and five other people were arrested. During the operation, the van carrying 720 kilos of hashish hidden in 24 bales was intercepted in a greenhouse area.

From speedboats to 'go fast'

Following the previous operation, investigators realised the organisation's great ability to adapt to police action and continue its criminal activity, discovering that the method they had been using from that moment on was the so-called 'go fast' method.

Using this method, using high-powered vehicles arranged in a convoy with shared functions – one as a 'shuttle' with security functions and another loaded with the narcotic – they carried out drug shipments from different points in Andalusia to Catalan provinces. These journeys, surrounded by strict security measures, were made at high speed and without stops, from the collection point to the delivery point.

A 'daycare' run by a married couple

The efforts made by the agents allowed them to locate a 'nursery' in the home of a married couple who were members of the organisation, which was located in the Almería municipality of La Mojonera, as well as a marijuana plantation. With all the information gathered, five raids and searches were finally carried out in several municipalities in Almería – Vícar, Roquetas de Mar, El Ejido and La Mojonera.

During the searches, carried out with a large police presence, 25 kilos of hashish, 2,600 ecstasy pills, 57 grams of cocaine and 43 grams of crystal meth were seized. A blank-firing revolver with ammunition, 18 mobile phones, more than 5,000 euros in cash, as well as all the material found in the marijuana plantation were also seized.

In addition to the seven arrests made in the first phase, 15 arrests of Russian and Spanish nationals have been made during the second phase. The 22 arrested have been brought before the judicial authorities as alleged perpetrators of the crimes of drug trafficking, membership in a criminal organisation and electricity fraud, with nine of them being sent to prison.