DrugsNews

Dismantled a criminal organization that introduced narcotics into the Canary Islands using double-bottomed vehicles

Spanish Civil Guard, in the so-called CADCAN operation, carried out in Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, Tenerife, Madrid and Huelva, has dismantled a criminal organization specialized in drug trafficking between the peninsula and the Canary Islands.
Seven people have been arrested, all of them related to the seizure of 20 kilograms of Cocaine, 100 grams of methamphetamine and 3 kilograms of phenacetin, a substance used to cut and adulterate narcotics.

This investigation began in March of last year, when the agents had sufficient evidence that pointed to a Dominican citizen as a possible cocaine distributor on the island of Conejera.

With the first steps, the agents were able to corroborate how this person was leading a criminal organization located on that island and with direct ties to different parts of the peninsula.

Up to 22 vehicles prepared with “double bottoms”

In the same way, it was found that this organization had a high number of vehicles prepared with “double funds” to hide the drug, distributed by several islands and Madrid, reaching up to 22 cars that would have been traveling through the different shipping companies between the peninsula and the Canary Islands, all of them supposedly linked to the transport of narcotics.

After analyzing all the information obtained and once the members of this criminal group had been fully identified, it was possible to know how due to the mobility restrictions derived from COVID 19, the number of journeys with these vehicles decreased considerably, but nevertheless, as they were smoothed the same, the criminal group resumed its activities at the end of last year, so the investigators proceeded to have a more exhaustive control of their movements.

Modus Operandi

Therefore, the agents were able to corroborate how this criminal organization had its main base on the island of Lanzarote, having deployed and settled in Fuerteventura and Tenerife, also counting on strong support in Madrid as a starting point for drugs.

All this dissemination of its members had been generated in line with the gradual increase in the transport of narcotics to the Canary Islands and therefore, with the intention of expanding its network for the sale of narcotics.

It was also possible to find out that they had several houses on the three islands, used as drug “coves” and temporary accommodation for their members; also counting in one of them with a laboratory for the adulteration of drugs that came from the peninsula.

Another avenue of investigation focused on locating possible places where vehicles could be tampered with, which had sophisticated compartments for hiding drugs with complex access and very difficult to detect in police inspections. By way of example, at the dock in Huelva, two cars that were trying to embark bound for the Canary Islands could be detected, intervening 13 kg and 2.3 kg of Cocaine respectively.

After these events, the main members of the organization considered the possibility of leaving the country to avoid possible arrests, for which they forced the immediate exploitation of this operation and arrest of those responsible as alleged perpetrators of Crimes Against Public Health, Belonging to Criminal Organization and illegal possession of weapons.

Likewise, several house searches were carried out, where more quantities of Cocaine and methamphetamine were intervened, cutting substances such as phenacetin, € 23,000 in cash and a real ammunition pistol, ready for use, in addition to a hydraulic press and all kinds of molds and accessories necessary for the adulteration of cocaine.

With these actions, the investigators consider this criminal group, very active in the Canary archipelago, as dismantled, as well as its entire transport and distribution network.

The actions were carried out by the Team Against Organized Crime of the Central Operative Unit of the Civil Guard based in the Canary Islands, together with the EDOAs of the Huelva and Madrid Commanderies, supported by various Territorial Units of the Huelva Commanderies , Las Palmas, Tenerife and Madrid.