Spain dismantles extensive drug trafficking network linked to Morocco

The Spanish Civil Guard has successfully dismantled a sophisticated drug trafficking network responsible for moving hashish and cocaine across borders with impressive coordination. This operation, which took place in Malaga and Melilla, led to the arrest of eight individuals involved in a criminal organization accused of trafficking drugs from Morocco and laundering the proceeds throughout Spain.

Investigations conducted by the national police’s anti-narcotics unit revealed a complex structure that intertwined drug trafficking with a legitimate front business used to disguise illicit earnings. The primary route for this organization began across the Mediterranean, with shipments of hashish arriving by sea from Morocco.

Authorities tracked the group's activities from Malaga, focusing on its suspected ringleader and an associate. Their operations in Almeria raised concerns about an impending drug delivery. Acting on this intelligence, law enforcement coordinated with the Guardia Civil, resulting in the seizure of 1,500 kilograms of hashish and the arrest of five individuals at the scene.

Subsequent searches in Malaga and Melilla unveiled the group’s financial mechanisms. In Melilla, two women, spouses of the suspected leaders, managed a small food and beverage business. Ostensibly a legitimate enterprise, it served as a cover for recycling drug money into the legal economy.

Law enforcement officials froze over €250,000 spread across various bank accounts and confiscated €350,000 in cash, along with vehicles, electronics, and a firearm. Additionally, they seized GPS trackers and multiple mobile phones, tools that were likely used to oversee and coordinate their maritime operations.

All eight suspects remain in custody as the investigation into the full extent of the group's activities continues. This case underscores the persistent connection between hashish trafficking and financial crime in Spain, particularly in coastal regions that act as entry points for drugs from North Africa.