DrugsMaritimeOrganised Crime

Guardia Civil intervenes 1 ton of vacuum-packed marijuana

The Guardia Civil has intervened about 1 ton of vacuum-packed marijuana and 580 plants in various actions .

The Guardia Civil, in actions related to drug trafficking developed in the provinces of Malaga, Almería and Murcia, has arrested a total of 40 people and seized about a ton of marijuana packed in vacuum and 580 plants of marijuana.

Operation MASKOKE (Malaga)

The Guardia Civil arrested 24 people belonging to a criminal organization dedicated to international drug trafficking, whose destinations were northern European countries, mainly the Netherlands. During the investigation, a shipment of more than 700 kgs was intercepted. of vacuum-packed marijuana, which is one of the biggest apprehensions of this type of drug in our country. Likewise, the financial structure of the organization that operated through a “Hawala” has been dismantled, where more than 1,600,000 euros in cash were intervened.

The operation began in late 2018 when investigators learned that several people were related to international marijuana trafficking.

The modus operandi of this group was based on receiving requests for large quantities of marijuana from organizations based in the Netherlands. Since it was huge quantities, this group was forced to obtain the order through various organizations dedicated to the cultivation of this type of drug based in various Andalusian provinces since it was impossible to obtain so much quantity of the drug from a single supplier.

Subsequently, they stored the drug on a farm located in the Seville town of Utrera, where they vacuum-packed it and prepared it for transport, hiding it among large quantities of perishable products that were shipped in heavy trucks to the Netherlands.

In one of these shipments, the agents intercepted in the province of Cáceres, a trailer, hidden among more than 13 tons of garlic, 240 kilograms of marijuana vacuum packed, 1 kilogram of cocaine and 5,000 euros in cash, so we proceeded upon the arrest of its driver, a citizen of Dutch nationality.

Continuing with the investigations, the agents verified how this organization was a client of a financial system called “hawala”.

This system tries that a house is usually used as a bank to use, where abundant cash is available and huge economic transactions are carried out to carry out drug payments between the criminal organizations attached to this “hawala” .

In this operation, investigators have managed to intervene more than 1,600,000 euros in a “hawala” located in a house in Malaga, thus disarticulating the financial structure of this criminal network.

As a result of the investigation, the agents found that this group was preparing another large shipment of marijuana, so a large-tonnage truck carrying a high-pressure chemical cleaning unit was intercepted in the province of Castellón, finding inside a double bottom where 700 kilograms of vacuum-packed marijuana and more than 5 kilograms of hashish were hidden, arresting the driver of the vehicle for such events, a citizen of Dutch nationality.

After these arrests, the investigators dismantled the organization, arresting 21 more people and carrying out 11 house searches in the towns of Rincón de la Victoria, Estepona, Málaga, Utrera, Seville and Loja (Granada).

Operation “Lodon” (Murcia)

The Guardia Civil detained 14 people, members of a family group as alleged perpetrators of the crimes of cultivation, processing and drug trafficking, fraud of electricity, illegal occupation of housing, serious disobedience, reception and belonging a criminal organization. Four of the arrested have entered into prison.

In the operation, 10 house searches were carried out in San Javier (8) and in San Pedro del Pinatar (2) 325 sativa cannabis plants, various doses of cocaine, heroin and hashish were seized, 2.000 euros, three cars and supplies necessary for the cultivation and distribution of the drug. Numerous objects of illicit origin, (professional tools, tablets, laptops and music equipment, among others) have also been recovered, allegedly received, some of which have already been identified and returned to their rightful owners.

The operation began a year ago, when the Guardia Civil detected several retail drug outlets in different homes in the municipality of San Javier, which allowed it to be reported that it was a criminal group of a family nature based in the Sea Minor who controlled the sale of narcotic substances in the region and who also distributed to other clients in neighboring towns and provinces.

For this, the group had its own marijuana crops and other points for the distribution of all kinds of narcotic substances, using both their homes and other occupied houses, frequently changing locations to distract police action.

In addition, some of its members remained very active, not respecting the mobility regulations decreed in the current state of alarm, moving to the marijuana plantations to maintain their care, as well as to transport the drug to distribution points.

As a result of the investigations, the agents located the houses suspected of harboring marijuana plantations, as well as others destined to the establishment of retail drug outlets, some of which, in addition, had been illegally occupied by the suspects, for which reason 10 buildings were registered in the municipalities of San Javier (8) and San Pedro del Pinatar (2).

The records located three plantations with 300 indoor marijuana plants, all of them in production and about to be harvested. For this, the supply to the electricity grid had been fraudulently connected. In addition, the greenhouses had abundant material for the intensive cultivation of plants, such as lighting, electric and electronic, air conditioning and gardening devices, tools, fertilizers and fertilizers, among others, all of which have been intervened.

It should be noted that the criminal organization also trafficked cocaine, heroin and hashish, having been seized, in addition to the cannabis sativa plantations, different doses of this type of drug, as well as 2,000 euros in fractional banknotes.

355 marijuana plants in Almeria

The Guardia Civil arrested two people in the municipality of Berja (Almería) as perpetrators of a crime against public health and another one of defrauding the electricity grid, for the indoor cultivation of marijuana (Cannabis Sativa) in a house in the hamlet from Peñarrodada in Berja (Almería).

The events occur when a Civil Guard patrol during the provision of a citizen security service, noticed that a strong smell emanates from a house located in this hamlet, characteristic of the marijuana plantations.

Once the agents located the house, they found inside four rooms dedicated to the cultivation of marijuana (Cannabis Sativa), with a total of 355 plants intervening, for which reason those responsible are arrested. In addition to the plants, the agents have seized 7 AA / DC machines, 3 extractors, 35 600W lamps, 35 ballasts and locate an illegal hookup to the electrical fluid.