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Europa Press
Huelva
Friday, 27 December 2024, 14:46
Spain's Guardia Civil police force has smashed a huge criminal organisation with the arrest of 31 people in four Andalusian provinces - 25 in Huelva, two in Seville, two in Algeciras, one in Granada and another in Malaga. In an operation that began on 18 December, officers seized a total of 278 kilograms of cocaine, 3,831 kilograms of hashish, 180 cannabis plants and more than 500,000 euros in cash, as well as several weapons.
According to a statement issued by the police, these individuals have been arrested for alleged offences against public health, membership of a criminal organisation, possession and carrying of weapons, money laundering, smuggling, document forgery, receiving stolen goods and motor vehicle theft. The arrests were carried out under the coordination of operations 'Linked' and 'Ecolinked'.
The first of these was aimed at dismantling the operations to introduce large quantities of drugs into Europe by various means, while the second focused on dismantling the financial and logistical apparatus of the criminal organisation.
Both investigations were initiated when the Guardia Civil became aware of the existence of a "very active" criminal organisation with connections in Colombia, Panama, and Portugal, dedicated to the trafficking of cocaine and cannabis resin (hashish) from Latin America and the western part of the African continent. This trafficking was carried out both by sea, using containers, sailing boats, and high-speed vessels, and by air, using recreational or private aircraft.
Police investigators discovered how the organisation operated with a "great versatility in any part of the world", as it had links with various countries in Latin America, as well as in Portugal.
In this way, it was found that this organisation managed to carry out up to six simultaneous cocaine smuggling operations through various ports located in Europe, as well as by using pleasure and speed boats to the Spanish and Portuguese coasts, "which gave an idea of its high level of operability".
During the investigation, 278 kilograms of cocaine and 3,831 kilos of hashish were seized. Likewise, 18 searches were carried out in Huelva, Moguer, Trigueros, Beas, San Juan del Puerto and Gibraleón.
A total of over 500,000 euros in cash has been seized, along with ten vehicles, a jet ski, numerous electronic and computer devices, documentation related to money laundering and the use of cryptocurrencies. Additionally, judicial orders have been issued to freeze 51 bank accounts, five properties, 23 vehicles and one boat.
The Spanish police force had the international collaboration of Colombia, Panama, USA (DEA), United Kingdom (NCA), Portugal (judicial police and GNR) and France (OFAST), as well as Europol, having developed operational activities on the ground in Colombia, Guyana, Panama, France and Portugal on those under investigation.
The Guardia Civil pointed out that "this synergy made it possible to gather sufficient intelligence to undertake the start of the investigation in a robust manner" and to present the first judicial measures to the Huelva courts, all coordinated by the Huelva anti-drugs prosecutor's office.
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