Spanish authorities make major drug bust, arrest ‘biggest’ ring operating between Morocco-Spain

Spanish Civil Guard arrested 49 members of a ‘very active ‘criminal organization for bringing large quantities of hashish from Morocco to Spain.

The major drug-smuggling ring is believed to be the biggest operating in Spain.

The operation resulted in the arrest of 49 people, and the seizure of 14,380 kilograms of hashish, short and long firearms, as well as police materials, a three-engine semi-rigid boat, fuel bottles, documents, and mobile phones.

The Spanish Ministry of the Interior stated, in an official release today that the organization was transporting hashish to the peninsula through the coast of Cadiz and across the Guadalquivir River, and in total, more than 14 tons of hashish were seized.

The ministry said that the operation, dubbed “Operation Bari”, made it possible to arrest “the most active current organization, as it transported up to 20 tons of hashish per month from Morocco to the peninsula.”

 “The operation began in December last year when it was known that a criminal organization, led by several people with extensive drug trafficking records, would enter large quantities of hashish along the coast of Cadiz and the Guadalquivir River.”

The Spanish ministry said that the investigation revealed that the group was led by two drug dealers who took several security measures to avoid police intervention, and the criminal ring was fully organized: it had a group responsible for the logistics that provided the boats, and a person supervising the loading of fuel and food.

“The organization used strong, semi-rigid boats and fishing or recreational boats,” said the ministry stating that “the organization’s personnel were heavily armed to prevent other organizations from stealing goods; This is known in criminal terms as a coup.”