The Spanish National Police have dismantled the most active group of drug traffickers operating on the continents of Europe, Africa and South America

The dismantled organisation was established in both Spain and in Morocco and made up of Colombian, Spanish and Moroccan citizens. The group had great economic and logistical capacity, allowing it to deploy a large number of boats for maritime cocaine trafficking. It made the work of the police difficult by using three or four vessels at the same time. Eighteen people were arrested in Morocco and six in Spain, among them the representative of the Colombian office in Spain.

The Minister for Home Affairs, Juan Ignacio Zoido, congratulated the police officers and noted that "this latest police action constitutes a major blow against one of the main networks of drug traffickers operating on three continents." The minister said that "the training of agents, not only to combat drug trafficking, but to analyse and investigate the economic infrastructures of these trafficking organisations, is vital for weakening the financial resources available to organised crime." Juan Ignacio Zoido also highlighted "the outstanding police cooperation between Spain and Morocco, thanks to the joint teams, not only to fight terrorism and illegal immigration, but also to stop drug trafficking by air, sea and land in the Strait of Gibraltar. Political will, police efficiency and strengthened international cooperation are the pillars for putting an end to organised crime networks."

Several vessels used at the same time for shipping the cocaine

The investigation began in Galicia when agents learned of the delivery to a previously identified Galician drug trafficker of a shipment of cocaine, which was to take place in the Atlantic Ocean. However, his part in a trial at the Spanish Central Criminal Court for another shipment of cocaine, and subsequent sentencing to 10 years of prison, prevented his participation in this new drug trafficking operation. As a result, another organisation took over the drug operation. It is of Colombian origin, but works from Spain, and its leader used to make numerous trips between Madrid, Bogota and Venezuela.

The organisation had bases both in Spain and in Morocco, and its members were Colombian, Spanish and Moroccan citizens. With a great financial and logistical capacity, they tried to make police work difficult by using three or four vessels at the same time for each drug shipment.

During the investigations it was noted that there was going to be a delivery of drugs from Surinam, but after two failed attempts for reasons beyond the control of the drug traffickers, they were not able to complete the operation. In view of the failed attempts, the head of the Colombian office in Spain finally organised a new shipment, which was to have been from South America to Spain, to supply a fishing vessel controlled by the organisation from Galicia.

Agents from both countries supervised the South American vessel until the drugs were loaded onto a Moroccan fishing boat. Once the Moroccan fishing boat had the drugs hidden in its hold, it was to navigate parallel to the coasts of Mauritania and Morocco, and reach Spain with its cargo. This was the time when it was decided to make the seizure. The agents finally boarded the vessel from a Moroccan helicopter and two patrol vessels when it was 100 miles off Western Sahara. At this point, the crew began to throw numerous bags of cocaine into the sea. A total of 12 people were found on board, with 2,575 kilograms of drugs, 10,000 euros, a satellite phone and numerous documents.

In total, 24 people were arrested in Spain and Morocco

When the agents of the Spanish National Police discovered that the leader planned to travel to Colombia from Spain to learn details of the police seizure of his vessel, he was arrested together with another member of the group. The other arrests on Spanish soil - four other members of the organisation - took place four days later. In total 18 people were arrested in Morocco, 12 of them on board the vessel that was intercepted, and a further 6 in Spain.

The operation was carried out by agents from the Galician Specialist Response Groups against Organised Crime, (Spanish acronym: GRECO), the Drugs and Organised Crime Unit, (Spanish acronym: UDYCO) from Vigo, (the Head Office of the Galician police), Section IV of the BCE, GEO, the Intelligence Centre against Terrorism and Organised Crime, (Spanish acronym: CITCO) and the Maritime Analysis and Operation Centre under the State Secretariat for Security, and surveillance groups and support from the UDYCO, all in collaboration with the General Directorate for Territorial Surveillance of Morocco, (Spanish acronym: DGST).