Criminal group dedicated to cocaine trafficking dismantled

The Guardia Civil, within the framework of operation SIVA, has dismantled a criminal group dedicated to trafficking narcotic substances, mainly cocaine. The group was based in Cañada Real Galiana and Mejorada del Campo.

In total, 17 people have been arrested for their alleged involvement in drug trafficking crimes, membership in a criminal group, illicit possession of weapons, money laundering and electricity fraud.

The investigation began at the end of 2023 when an increase in the flow of people leaving Cañada Real Galiana Sector III carrying different narcotic substances was detected. Discreet surveillance devices were established in the surrounding area and those in charge of customer service were identified at three different drug sales points.

From there, the investigators managed to identify the main supplier, based in Mejorada del Campo, and thus reach a criminal network that went beyond these three points of sale. What’s more, the criminal group was dedicated to the sale of different narcotic substances at home to avoid the transit of consumers near their homes.

A part of the drug sales was paid through BIZUM or with direct deposits at ATMs, so they obtained 44,233 euro in the last year.

They buried the drugs in a nearby field

The group maintained strong security measures. They supplied the three points of sale with small quantities so as not to attract attention and so that at the end of the day nothing would be left behind. They hid it in a nearby field, burying it under the ground, and if more was needed, they could access it in a few minutes. In addition, this way they prevented there from being drugs in their homes, in the face of a possible police search.

Sometimes, for these trips to the open fields, they used children who accompanied them to go unnoticed and they always used a second car on their trips, as a shuttle vehicle to warn of possible police controls.

The group consisted of 17 members. It was led by two men, heads of the family clans, who worked in collusion hiding the cocaine at the same point and who shared the main supplier. The rest of the group had sales, transfer, delivery and distribution functions, some of them even establishing shifts at the points of sale.

In total, four entries and searches took place simultaneously and more than a kilo of cocaine, 2CB, three firearms and 85,000 euro in cash were seized. Likewise, three vehicles have been seized, 18 bank accounts with more than 55,000 euro have been blocked, and the Court has been informed of four homes and two parking spaces that could be the result of money laundering for judicial disposal.

The 17 members of the organisation have been arrested, 11 men and 6 women, who are accused of the crimes of drug trafficking, membership in a criminal group, illicit possession of weapons, electricity fraud and money laundering. After being brought to justice, the competent authority ordered the imprisonment of sixteen people.