Ten suspects arrested in Malaga and Algeciras after police seize 11 tonnes of hashish hidden among melons and furniture

The National Police have seized more than 11 tonnes of hashish in two operations carried out in less than a week in Malaga and Algeciras, thanks to their collaboration with Moroccan authorities. A total of ten people have been arrested on suspicion of membership in a criminal organisation and drug-trafficking.

The investigation began in July, with information being exchanged between Spanish and Moroccan authorities. They detected a possible criminal organisation with links in Spain and Morocco that was preparing two vehicles for the transport of hashish to Spain through the ports of Tangier and Algeciras.

The first vehicle - a lorry with a refrigerated trailer - was detected in Malaga after having arrived in Algeciras the previous day. It was accompanied by two shuttle vehicles as a security measure, as the organisation had detected police presence.

The investigators discovered that the contents of the trailer were pallets containing melons, between which a total of 9,300 kilos of hashish were concealed. The police managed to intercept the vehicle, seize the goods and arrest six people.

Later, in August, the police detected another clandestine operation. This time, the suspected organisation was transporting furniture in a van. The investigators found out that it was hiding the drugs inside the furniture, with the idea of transporting them from the port of Tangier to Algeciras. The van, accompanied by one shuttle vehicle, was located after disembarking in Algeciras. The police once again intercepted it upon its arrival in Malaga.

As a result of this second phase of the investigation, the police seized 1,825 kilos of hashish, more than 14,000 euros and eight mobile phones. Four people were arrested.