A joint operation by the Tax Agency and the Guardia Civil

• This is the largest seizure of cocaine in Spain in more than four years, the third intervention in a single container according to CITCO records and the most important in the port of Valencia since there are records.
• The actions began as a result of various legal imports of fruit and vegetables into the national territory, taking advantage of the legal trade of this type of merchandise from the other side of the Atlantic that could be used for the transatlantic drug trade.

November 30, 2022.- Customs Surveillance of the Tax Agency and the Civil Guard, in a joint operation, have intervened in the port of Valencia 5,592 kilos of cocaine camouflaged in a container from South America. This is the largest seizure of cocaine in Spain for more than four years, the third intervention in a single container, according to the records of the Intelligence Center against Terrorism and Organized Crime (CITCO) and the most important in the port of Valencia since records exist

The development of research

The actions begin in 2021, as a result of various legal imports of fruit and vegetables into the national territory, taking advantage of the legal trade in this type of merchandise from the other side of the Atlantic that could be used for the transatlantic drug trade. As a result of these investigations, in the month of September it was possible to seize merchandise in the port of Barcelona, inside which 70 kilos of cocaine were hidden.

Continuing with the investigations, the agents located in the port of Valencia a container from South America that could be used to introduce drugs. For this reason, the agents proceeded to inspect it, locating more than 5.5 tons of cocaine hidden inside, along with the merchandise whose importation was legal.

Once the drugs were 'cut', those more than five tons could have reached a value in the illicit market of more than 340 million euros.

The performances continue

Currently the investigation remains open, while an attempt is being made to determine, on the one hand, those responsible for the introduction of the narcotic substance and, on the other hand, the people who would later be responsible for the distribution of the drug in our country. country.

The action has been carried out within the framework of the Risk Analysis Unit (UAR) that makes up the Tax Agency (through the Customs Surveillance Service). The objective of this unit is to carry out permanent control and analysis of international merchandise traffic.

Likewise, officials from the Customs Surveillance Service of the Tax Agency of Valencia and Madrid and the Organized Crime and Anti-Drug Team of the Valencia Command of the Civil Guard have participated in the operation.