Drug Kingpin "Messi of Hashish" and 26 Others Face Trial in Spain

According to the indictment of the Cadiz court prosecutor to which Europa Press had access, the 26 members of the criminal network, including the right-hand man of the "Messi of hashish" in charge of "organizing the collection, storage and distribution of drugs after receiving direct instructions," are accused of crimes against public health, possession of war weapons, usurpation and attempted assault on an officer.

The 26 defendants will be tried in October. They face sentences of up to 455 years in prison and fines of up to 1.040 million euros for hashish trafficking in the Strait of Gibraltar region between February 2016 and January 2017.

While the members of his alleged network are awaiting trial, Abdellah El Hadj Sadeck El Menbri, alias "Messi of hashish", is free to move around. Refuged in Tangier since his escape from Spain in April 2019 to avoid the judicial authorities of Cadiz, he is considered by Europol as one of the most dangerous criminals wanted by Spain and Europe.