HIBAPRESS – Mohamed Zeriyouh
The Civil Police managed to dismantle a criminal network specializing in smuggling hashish by swallowing hashish "balls" inside the bodies of the network members. The operation was carried out at the occupied Melilla airport on Friday, March 27th, and resulted in the arrest of seven people, including Moroccans who were intending to travel to Almeria. The operation, codenamed "Operation Avali," targeted a group that had been making rapid trips between occupied Melilla and the Spanish mainland since the beginning of 2025.
Investigations conducted by the Financial and Border Analysis and Investigation Unit of the Melilla Police, identified the method used to smuggle drugs by swallowing hashish capsules to bypass security control at the airport. After several security interventions, the police confirmed the validity of this method.
The first arrests occurred when one of the suspects raised suspicions due to his strange behavior before being subjected to a radiographic examination, which revealed the presence of many foreign objects inside his body. After that, he was transferred to the hospital to remove the narcotic substances, and 139 hashish balls were seized. On March 23rd, six other people were arrested in the same circumstances.
The operation resulted in the seizure of 829 hashish balls with a total weight of 8.900 kilograms, in addition to the confiscation of several mobile phones used by the suspects. The detainees, who are Moroccans residing in the Murcia region, were brought to justice on charges related to drug smuggling. The operation succeeded in preventing the distribution of approximately 35,600 doses of drugs in the black market.
