Galician criminal organisation specialising in hashish transportation by yacht and speedboat shut down, with 8,000 kilos of hashish seized

During the course of these operations, 12 people were arrested and 8,000 kilos of hashish were seized on board a yacht at sea. Furthermore, various arrests were made in Madrid, Galicia and Almeria. Those arrested are of Spanish and Colombian nationality.

Drug deliveries by sea

The main subjects of the investigation were various individuals of Colombian nationality living in Vilagarcía de Arousa (Pontevedra) who received hashish smuggling jobs and took responsibility for finding the boats and crews (Galician citizens) to carry out the trafficking operations in the Alboran Sea.

The organisation was highly active and, in May 2016, carried out its first drug trafficking operation from Morocco to Libya. To do so, they used a rented yacht that they later abandoned overseas.

Following this operation, the organisation went on to plan another drug trafficking operation for which they hired another boat, this time in Ibiza (Balearic Islands). As a result of the investigation, the Assistant Directorate of Customs Enforcement (Spanish acronym: DAVA) boarded the yacht "MAR BLUE" on 13 July, which was sailing under a Spanish flag. The yacht was registered at the Port of Cartagena (Murcia) and approximately 300 bundles of hashish were seized on board, with an approximate gross weight of 8,000 kilos.

Following this large seizure of hashish, the remaining members of the organisation were arrested (mostly living in Galicia) by a police team involving officers from the Spanish National Police Force and the Spanish Guardia Civil.

The individuals arrested have been handed over to the Duty Courts of Vilagarcía de Arousa (Pontevedra), Padrón (A Coruña), Plaza Castilla (Madrid) and Almeria.

Action by the Spanish National Police Force is being overseen by Criminal Investigation Court Number 8 of Vilanova i la Geltrú (Barcelona) under Preliminary Proceedings Number 466/15, while action by the Spanish Guardia Civil is being overseen by Criminal Investigation Court Number 1 of Lugo under Preliminary Proceedings 1587/2013.

A total of 12 arrests

12 people were arrested in total: four on board the yacht "MAR BLUE"; six in Galicia; one in Almeria; and another in Madrid.

The following effects were also seized:

• 8,000 kilos of hashish
• A yacht, called the "MAR BLUE"
• A 7-metre yacht at the Port of Vilagarcía de Arousa (Pontevedra).
• Various mobile telephones.
• Various documents.

Units involved in these operations

The investigation was carried out by GRECO Galicia and the Judicial Police Organic Unit (Spanish acronym: UOPJ) of the Spanish Guardia Civil in Lugo, in partnership with the Assistant Directorate of Customs Enforcement (Spanish acronym: DAVA).

Personnel from various Command Centres of the Spanish Guardia Civil and General Commissariats of the Spanish National Police Force also took part, as well as from UDYCO in various provinces.