3,750 kilos of hashish seized in Huelva in two anti-drug trafficking operations carried out within an eight-day period
Operation of the Tax Agency, National Police and Civil Guard
- A recreational boat and a vehicle that had been stolen in the province of Badajoz and had bent license plates have been seized
- The actions are the result of coordinated surveillance by the three bodies within the framework of the intensification of the fight against drug trafficking on the Huelva coast.
July 1, 2023 .- Customs Surveillance of the Tax Agency, the National Police and the Civil Guard have seized 3,750 kilos of hashish in Huelva in two operations carried out within an interval of eight days. The actions carried out are the result of coordinated surveillance by the three bodies deployed within the framework of the intensification of the fight against drug trafficking on the coasts of Huelva.
The first of the operations began on the night of June 1, when investigators from the three bodies, in a joint surveillance operation, detected a van that was visibly overloaded at the rear, so they proceeded to stop it.
The driver of the vehicle ignored the instructions of the officers and a chase began through the Isla Canela marshes area, until the vehicle being pursued could not continue due to harassment by the police vehicles. The driver then abandoned the van and fled.
After an initial visual inspection of the van, a total of 78 bales of burlap and raffia, commonly used for transporting hashish resin, were found inside, weighing approximately 2,700 kilos. In addition, it was found that the van seized had bent license plates and that it was a vehicle stolen in the province of Badajoz.
Both the drugs and the seized items have been made available to the Court of First Instance and Instruction number 1 of Ayamonte, acting as on-call court.
Frustrated stash of one ton
The second operation began on the night of June 9, when the Integrated External Surveillance System (SIVE) detected a semi-rigid boat, known as a 'narco-boat', south of Punta Umbría. A ground operation was immediately launched, made up of agents from the three forces, amid suspicions that a drug trafficking operation could be taking place.
Minutes later, the officers detected a recreational boat, about six metres long, leaving the Punta Umbría estuary heading south. This boat was later brought alongside the 'narco-boat', at which point the transfer of packages from the semi-rigid boat to the pleasure boat took place.
Once the transfer of packages was completed, the recreational vessel headed north to re-enter the Punta Umbría estuary, and investigators began a discreet land-based monitoring operation. The boat finally stopped in the area of the Astur salt flats. Once the vehicle landed, investigators intervened by land, surprising the suspects and causing them to flee.
Inside the seized vessel were found 30 bales of burlap and raffia, commonly used to transport hashish resin, weighing approximately 1,050 kilos.
Both the boat and the seized narcotic substance were transferred to the port of Huelva. The drugs and the confiscated items have been made available to the Court of First Instance and Instruction number 5 of Huelva, with the knowledge of the Special Anti-Drug Prosecutor's Office of Huelva.
Both investigations are still ongoing by Customs Surveillance, National Police and Civil Guard, and arrests are not ruled out.
These interventions are the result of the intensification of the fight against smuggling and drug trafficking carried out by Customs Surveillance, National Police and Civil Guard officials on the coasts of Huelva.
Operation filming (to download the video, enter the following web address):