Massive weapons arsenal seized in Asturias

"We are dealing with an extraordinary arsenal of weapons: something unthinkable in Spain until now," the head of the Narcotics Brigade of the National Police Corps in Madrid, Antonio Martínez Duarte, said.

Martínez Duarte made the remarks during the presentation of the cache seized in 'Operation Espeto' on Wednesday 7 December.

The operation against Galician drug trafficker Carlos García Morales – ‘The Killer’ – ended with a major surprise when a warehouse was raided in Naón last month.

When officers broke into the warehouse, they found 600 kilos of cocaine, hundreds of thousands of euros, and an arsenal of military weapons, including a rocket launcher, a hand grenade, assault rifles, bulletproof vests, small arms and ammunition of different calibres.

"This is more common in Latin American countries with guerrillas or in Eastern European countries, but this is the first time in Europe. Especially when it comes to weapons of this calibre and power and in this quantity. It has been a surprise," Alberto Morales, a National Police spokesperson, said.

The operation concluded with the arrest in Siero of three people, among them Carlos García Morales, who had been in the sights of the Spanish authorities for ten years.

In the macro operation the National Police Force collaborated with the DIRAN of the Colombian National Police and the US National Security Investigations agency, to dismantle the "narco-globalised" criminal organisation. In total, 2,600 kilos of cocaine have been seized with 19 people arrested.