Largest network of drug transporters in the Strait dismantled

Officers from the Guardia Civil, in a joint operation with the National Police, Customs Surveillance officials of the Tax Agency and the Judicial Police of Portugal, have dismantled the largest network of drug transporters in the Strait that was behind the latest seizures of 4,000 kilos of hashish and 627 kilos of cocaine.

The operations centre was located in a luxurious residential area in Lisbon, from where a historic drug trafficker directed and coordinated all naval operations; They also had infrastructure and a wide network of collaborators in the Cadiz town of Sanlúcar de Barrameda, where the ringleaders of the network originated.

The organisation had an average of between eight and ten EAV boats -High Speed ​​Vessels-, known as narcolanchas, which were in the water at all times – with their respective crews -, as well as a large network of small boats that It was used to provide the previous ones with everything they needed (food, fuel, etc.).

The investigation began in May of last year when agents detected that the criminal organisation tried to collect a shipment of 6,000 kilos of cocaine from a narco-submarine coming from South America. However, the mechanical problems that the boat suffered during the voyage caused it to sink, a fact that frustrated the criminal action. From that moment on, police investigations revolved around the functioning of the organisation’s structure, proving that its leaders were based in the Cádiz towns of Sanlúcar de Barrameda, Chipiona and El Cuervo.

They had an operations centre in Lisbon equipped with the highest technology at the communications level.

Given the great economic potential of the organisation, its members had strict security and self-protection measures. In this sense, they had the most advanced means to transmit information both individually and in naval communications.

Thanks to the close collaboration of the Portuguese Judicial Police, the agents located the operations centre of the network, which was located in a luxurious urbanisation on the outskirts of Lisbon. This was directed by a historical drug trafficker, on the run from Spanish justice, who was in charge of directing and coordinating all naval operations. In addition, it was equipped with the highest technology at the communications level, which allowed them absolute control of all their vessels – for loading, transporting and unloading the narcotic – as well as total surveillance of the air and maritime means of the Forces. and Security Forces that operate in the Strait.

In this way, every time there was an operation, the leaders of the organization travelled from Spain to coordinate the necessary infrastructure that would allow it to be carried out, in turn establishing direct contact with those responsible for the narcotic merchandise.

Infrastructure and a wide network of collaborators in Sanlúcar de Barrameda

The network had an average of between eight and ten EAV vessels that were in the water at all times, with their respective crews, to carry out the different transportation of merchandise – regardless of what type it was (hashish, cocaine) – and other national or international organisations that demand their services. In addition, it had a large network of small boats, including fishing boats, through which it provided the EAVs with fuel, food or any other material necessary to carry out the transportation.

The investigation confirmed that the leaders of the organisation, originally from Sanlúcar de Barrameda, used this Cadiz city as a base of operations in our country. This responded, on the one hand, to the perfect knowledge they had of the area and its orography and, on the other, to the large network of collaborators they had in said municipality.

Simultaneous arrests and searches in Spain and Portugal

This operation has allowed up to four operations of the criminal organisation to be aborted, as well as the seizure of two drug boats in Portugal and three other vessels in our country. On the other hand, the investigation has proven that the dismantled network was behind the latest seizures of 4,000 kilos of hashish and 627 kilos of cocaine.

The operational exploitation, carried out simultaneously in Spain and Portugal, has ended with the arrest of 31 members of the organisation and the carrying out of 24 home searches. Three short weapons, 1,400,000 euro in cash, 19 high-end vehicles, communication systems, computer equipment and two drug boats have been seized in the Portuguese country plus three other vessels in Spain. 250 agents participated in the operation.

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